Down The Rabbit Hole: Love Hina Arc
by Nysk
Summary: A mysterious stranger sends Ranma to learn several lessons to better his life.
1. Through The Mirror

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**(Love Hina Arc)**

**The Disclaimer****:** This story assumes a basic knowledge of both the Ranma and the Love Hina series, neither of which I claim ownership of; nor do I claim ownership any other characters from any other series that may be introduced in this story. Also, if I touch upon things that other authors have previously written in their stories it is hope that they will consider it a form of homage to their creativity.

**Warning**: This story may contain excessive violence, sexual situations, adult language, and what some might consider anti-NWC or anti-Naru sentiments.

Additionally I would also like to warn those who are die-hard fans of the various characters from any series that appear in this story that I will be adapting them to fit this story as needed for although my intention is to try to keep them as close to their original personalities as I see them there will undoubtedly be some sacrifices made in order for the story to flow in the direction I intend. This means that some characters will likely be OOC than not. So, for those who are heavily into canon, I point out that this may not be the story for you and that you might want to discontinue reading.

**Opening Note****:** This is my second attempt at a Fanfiction story. My intentions are for this to be a long story that will follow most of the original work of Love Hina. There will be obvious changes from the start, ones I hope will this story entertaining and not simply a rehashing of the Love Hina.

**Ranma Time Frame**: The story takes place well after the wedding; not that this matters. Why? Well, Ranma has been sent upon a journey of discovery by an unknown entity as a means to prepare him for some future event that has yet to be explained.

**Love Hina Time Frame**: The story starts at the beginning of the Love Hina series. I am basing it on the Manga over the videos as I have the mangas and only some of the videos. I have hopes to be able to keep the Love Hina gang in character and not let my personal bias about some of the characters show through. *Cough*Naru*Cough* I make no promises.

**Author's Notes**: I hope you'll keep in mind that this story is first and foremost meant to be entertaining and though it may be categorized as a drama it may end containing more romance, action, humor, or horror as the story builds. My hope is that those who read this will find at least as much enjoyment in doing so as I hope to have writing it.

Updates for this story will come as I managed to get around to completing a chapter as my primary focus is my Ranma/Gold Digger crossover named Vicissitude. Also, chapters for this story will likely be on the short side and I make no excuses for that.

This story is a work in progress and I while I have things in mind for where I want it to go this story will be subject more to my whims than any real outline and thus is subject to constant change. My hopes are to use this story to help sharpen my skills at writing humor (Which I personally feel I suck at).

My Ranma knowledge comes from the DVD's and various online resources and may be spotty on certain issues. My Love Hina information comes directly from the manga, which I read a few months back. (And probably should re-read again and again.)

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**Character Ages For This Story Are As Follows:**

Amalla Su – 23

Genma Saotome – 41

Haruka Urashima – 27

Kanako Urashima – 17

Kaolla Su – 14

Mitsune Konno – 18

Motoko Aoyama – 16

Mutsumi Otohime – 20

Naru Narusegawa – 17

Nodoka Urashima – 38

Ranma Urashima – 20 (Previous Reality – 27)

Shinobu Maehara – 14

Tsuruko Aoyama – 23

Oh, and in my universe you can buy alcohol at age 18!

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**Story Key**

'_Italics_' = Thoughts

**Bold Words** = Stressed thoughts or words; loud sounds

#Words# = Panda signs

:-:Words:-: = Sounds

^Words^ = Chinese

ooOOoo = Perspective/Scene/Time change within a scene or location

*-*-*-* = Letter or other pertinent information that does not fit into the above categories.

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**Chapter One **

– **The Prologue –**

– **Or –**

– **Through The Mirror –**

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Ranma didn't much care why his head was ringing; he wanted it to stop, which thankfully it did just before he sat up and opened his eyes.

Considering all the things he'd been through in his life the Anything Goes Martial Artist found it to be of little surprise he was no longer where he had been but rather in what looked like someone's study. A very posh European one at that as it had large bookcases filled with tomes, a fancy globe, even a large opulent wooden desk behind which was an equally impressive cloth cushioning. One thing the room seemed to lack was a door.

Getting to his feet Ranma looked around noting that that he felt weak, like he'd been drained of energy by Miss Ninomiya. He also noted that there appeared to be no way out of the room; at least none at first glance. Spotting a rather large cheval mirror the displaced Anything Goes Student took note of his current attire, which was not his typical style being that it was one piece body suit of some sort, black and red in color. The suit showed off nearly every curve of his body to a degree that caused him to blush. Figuring that this was easily changed he reached for his backpack in his stuff-space only to find that he couldn't seem to pull anything out from it despite still being able to sense that it was there, as if he was being prevented somehow from doing so. Another oddity was that he could also feel that there was a great deal more in there than what he had originally stored, but he could not tell what they were. One thing he did know for sure was that his capacity to hold things was far greater than what his memory told him he should be allowed to do.

"Where in the name of the kami am I now?" Ranma muttered aloud to himself as he once again surveyed the chamber in hopes of seeing a way out.

"Why you're someplace you weren't before, isn't that obvious?" Came a deep throated reply in a voice not unlike the one he'd heard used by Darth Vader character from Star Wars save for the fact this one carried a more humorous tone rather than the foreboding one used by that fictional character.

Snapping his head in the direction of the voice Ranma beheld a short man standing before the mirror he'd been looking into only a moment ago. The clearly male individual stood there hunched over, putting most of his weight upon an ornate wooden cane with a silver head and tip. From his chin a long ash-grey beard stretched nearly to his feet – it was matched by the long flow of hair hanging down his back to the man's knees. At quick glance the man's overall appearance showed him to be both neat disheveled for his clothing had clearly seen better days yet his hair, fingernails, and shoes were immaculately groomed and cleaned.

Ranma watched as the man walked away from the mirror in front of which he had appeared to the desk where he flopped into the chair causing it to creak under his weight.

"You can stand there and gape at me all you wish but it might be a tad bit more comfortable for you if you were to take a seat." The old man asked, pointing to a chair on the other side of the desk from him.

"How 'bout you tell me what's going on first?"

"I don't see a problem with that." The unnamed man plopped his feet upon the desk showing his left shoe was not in as good of a condition for Ranma could see his big toe through a hole in its bottom. How much detail do you want and how much do you actually expect to get? Rarely in life do we get what is it we want when we want it. And when we do, it's often now what we originally asked for as we do not truly know what it is we want so we ask for the wrong thing."

"You tryin' to say I'm asking the wrong question?"

"And put words in your mouth? Hardly." The man seemed aghast at the very suggestion only to smirk a second later "Ok, maybe not never. But it's much more fun to let people do their own thing and enjoy the outcome of their choices. Much more fun!" The smirk changed to a very unfriendly grin. "Ok, maybe not so much for them but for me that's for sure."

"Look you old nu..." Ranma was cut off by a marshmallow landing in his open mouth requiring him to chew and swallow it in order to speak. It was a pretty big marshmallow, which briefly had Ranma wondering how the heck it actually got past his lips.

"A little manners can go a long way young man." The man then waved dismissively, a bored look settling upon his face. "But then again, I suppose I am to blame for you having lost what few you'd gained. For that I suppose I should forgive you for your short comings instead of taking you to task for them."

"Loo…" Another marshmallow appeared in Ranma's mouth forcing him to chew.

"I got a whole bowl of them, and I doubt my arm will get tired before your jaw." The man motioned to the bowl of them sitting upon his stomach. "And if you think holding your hand over your mouth will do you any good I warn you I am not averse to tossing the smaller marshmallows so they land either in your ears or up your nose."

Motioning towards the chair again the man added, "Now, show you have some manners and join me."

Using the time chewing to calm down Ranma decided that it wouldn't hurt him to show the man a little consideration, at least for the moment. Especially if it would get him the answers he was after. He found the chair to be surprisingly comfortable.

"Now, that's better. Thank you Ranma."

"You're welcome." The now seated Anything Goes martial artist responded with obvious forced politeness.

"Care for some tea?" The man offered him some from a kettle he produced from below the line of the desk.

"No thanks."

"Suit yourself; it's an excellent mint tea. I find it helps wash down the marshmallows." The man said as he poured two cups sliding one to within Ranma's reach should he change his mind.

Taking a sip the man smiled widely, "Ah… yes. Just like my little fire-sprite used to make me when she visited."

Ranma simply glared briefly at the man before accepting the tea and taking a sip. Despite not wishing to he found it quite good and it showed on his face.

"I told you it was good." The man set his cup down. "Now then, since you've chosen to be a respectable guest I suppose I should be a respectable host and not prevaricate further."

"That is unless you would rather play a game of backgammon? I do so love the game." The strange man asked, pulling a small version of the game out from behind the desk to place atop the desk between them.

"NO…" he shouted out. Seeing the man's hand go towards the bowl of marshmallows Ranma lowered his voice, his hands waving rapidly in front of him. "Er… I mean no thanks. I'd um… much rather find out where I am and who you are." There was a long pause before Ranma ground out the last words he wanted to say to the strange man. "Sir"

"No one ever wants to play anymore." The small hunchbacked man responded with a sigh as he tossed the bowl off his stomach sending it clattering to the floor scattering marshmallows across the floor beside the desk after which he slammed his feet back on the floor to sit forward with his arms resting on the desk.

"My name young man? Well. For now just call me Grandfather." The old man smiled brightly "Yes, that will do nicely. Though given what I know of your personality I think you would rather call me gramps in an effort to insult me. Well, don't worry, I won't be insulted so feel free. But I warn you old man or any other derogatory name will earn you nothing from me."

"O…k… gramps." Ranma responded, not really liking the way the old man's smile showed off his crooked yellowing teeth.

"As to why you're here, well, it's because I wanted to help you my boy. Your life is frankly a mess; a multitude of unwanted fiancée's, an equal amount if not more in number of impossible to keep debts of honor, bad karma, several curses – man y of which you are not even aware afflict you, and lest I forget appallingly poor manners. Frankly it's little wonder that you have led a rather eventful if unhappy existence."

"Sure you'd started to fix much of that with many of the things that were happening prior to my plucking you out of your life to bring you here but even with that progress you never would have managed to have a happy life before you'd reached Happosai's age!"

"And before you ask why I'm messing with your life or even why I should care about you I will simply say it's because I see you like family my boy." Gramps paused. "If not family in fact and if there is one thing I hate it is to see family fail to reach their full potential."

Ranma shivered at the idea of being related to this crazy old fart, least the old man hadn't tried to feel his girl side up yet.

"Now, as I said earlier I must apologize for a few things that I've done to facilitate my goals."

"Facilitate?"

"Right, an education is on the must list." The old man wrote this down on a piece of paper that suddenly appeared floating vertically in the air between them.

"Moving on." The paper vanished "The chief of thing I feel I must offer you an apology for is the removal of a large part of your memory concerning the last few years of your life."

"YOU REMOVED MY MEMORIES!" Ranma jumped to his feet slamming his hands upon the desk.

The young martial artist didn't even have time to register the man's movements when he felt himself catapulted across the room to slam back first into a bookshelf where he fell to the floor under a large pile of books trying to catch his breath from the force of the blow. He heard the old man get up and cross the room, the cane in his hand making a tapping noise as he did.

"Manners my boy. Manners." The old man's voice sounded as cold as winter and as harsh as the wind over snowy ground to Ranma's ears.

Still winded from the blow Ranma felt himself being lifted up by the collar and planted firmly back in the chair after which the man retook his own seat. Once he had regained his breath he gave the man an icy stare only to flinch as the man's ice-blue eyes reflected nothing of the world around him, only a coldness that chilled Ranma to the soul.

"I do like you Ranma. It's why I am trying to help you even if you don't want or even think you need it. Still, unwanted or not I won't stand for such outbursts in my home. Now, be a good lad. Take a sip of that tea to help calm yourself down, and I also suggest you be silent while I explain."

Ranma nodded and did as the man suggested.

"As I was saying, I've removed a large section of your memories more specifically all your memories concerning events which have taken place since that disastrous wedding between you and that dreadful Akane Tendo child."

"I have also taken the liberty to place a temporary block on a large portion of your abilities and skills that you developed during the time since then as I feel you will not need them right away as you learn the lessons I wish you to."

"My one regret at having to do this is that it means I have set you back with a few of the lessons you had in fact already managed to learn on your own but we can't have everything now can we?"

Ranma easily saw the truth of the old man's sorrow in his eyes just as he could hear it in his voice.

"Now, you're probably wondering how you're going to learn these lessons so that you may return to your previous life. Well, you're going to learn them by not being yourself!"

"Um… how can I not be myself…" Ranma's voice petered off as the thought about how the old man could accomplish this. "You're not gonna do something to my mind and make me learn them are you!"

Waving a hand placatingly 'Gramps' smiled, "Of course not, I'm simply going to drop you into someone else's life at a moment they would have otherwise passed away and let you learn things by being them. In this way I will be exposing you to things you would have never been had you continued to follow the path you were on. Sort of a 'Walk in another man's shoes' approach if you will."

Ranma went to open his mouth only to be cut off as 'Gramps' continued, "Oh you needn't worry about back history as you will have access to all that information. Well, mostly. At the very least you'll have all you need to pass as this other Ranma while still retaining all that makes you, the Ranma I like, who you are!"

When he heard the older man mutter "Of course I'm not sure if the process will cause a bleed over effect and alter your view on some things... but it is something I'm willing to chance." under his breath.

Ranma called him on it. "I heard that."

"Really? Well, no worries. And before you ask don't worry about the poor schlub you'll be replacing. You could only make their life better, even if only more interesting. After all, they would have been dead anyway!"

"How will I know if I learned your so called lesson?" Ranma asked, having accepted the inevitability that he'd have to bow to this man's whims as he'd gotten a good sense of the man's skill and power while they'd been talking and if his aura was any indication it would be a cold day in hell before he'd ever be able to work on this lunatics level. That and if this guy could take away his memories it wouldn't do to get him to decide to take even more of them away.

"That information will be provided to you each time you jump…"

"Each time?"

Ranma received yet another marshmallow in the mouth. "Don't interrupt. It's rude. Now where was I? Oh yes, each time you jump you will be provided with a few clues as to what lesson you need to learn. These clues will not always be clear as you might like but that too is a part of the lesson! As to why more than one? Well, I imagine it will take you many leaps to learn everything I want you to, such as moving beyond the short coming of your innate rudeness. That alone I think will take several jumps to accomplish."

The old man clapped his hands together to rub them against each other gleefully. "Now, first I think we should do something about your education as well as teach you how to better interact with people who tend to jump to conclusions. Even more so than your fiery fiancée."

Ranma watched as the old man got up to move before the mirror to rap upon it with the back of his knuckles. To his amazement the man's reflection shimmered and vanished as the glass seemed to turn liquid reacting the way one would expect a pool of water to do after a stone had been tossed in.

"Come, it's time for you to begin your first trip. No dawdling now. Up up."

Ranma set down his cup of tea before moving over to where his host stood. Looking into the mirror's rippling surface he could make out nothing, not even his own reflection. "So, where's my hint about this lesson Gramps?"

"I suppose I can do that for you personally this time." His tone then became so sarcastic even Ranma got it. "After all you asked so nicely."

"Your mission this time around is simple but three-fold. First, like I said already, you need to smarten yourself up by getting a real education or at least a good jump on one. To this end you must, without cheating" Ranma's glare at the suggestion he would was ignored "manage to enter Tokyo University and actually pass one full semester courses with a GPA of no less than three point five. Another stipulation to this is that it might be done while holding a steady residence within your family's inn."

"An Inn? So that means I'll have to deal with others living there?"

"Quite. That's the second thing I want you to do. I want you to sharpen your people skills! Now, as to how you deal with them, that is up to you. But! You are not to avoid contact with them nor is it permissible for you to compel, coerce, trick, or even offer any of them the chance to move out as a way to avoid learning this lesson. If they leave for reasons all their own that's fine but you are not allowed to actively seek any means to get them to leave unless it is to protect any of the others living there."

Gramps dropped an arm around Ranma's shoulder forcing him to square off looking into the mirror. "Bits of your memory and skills will return to you over time, both from your original life as well as the one you are replacing so you will not be without some help in keeping you on the right path."

Ranma snorted, "Right path. Don't you mean your path Gramps?"

"Ranma Ranma Ranma. You fail to understand that I am doing all of this for your benefit not my own and though I will no doubt receive some amusement out of what happens to you it really is for the best."

"Am I giving you a choice? In a sense yes and no. No in that I am sending you and yes in that you could disregard my request. But if you do, I promise you that the next place you end up will be less pleasant and increasingly set against you while having the same goal so I suggest you make the best of your first choice."

"Great." Ranma groaned out.

The old man just smiled at him. "Oh, and don't try to ignore that little voice in the back of your head too much, it'll be some of the personality of the person your replacing trying to creep through. I'm not saying embrace it, but see if you can learn something from that inner voice as it might just help you get through things faster. Then again, maybe it won't! Isn't that just fun?"

Biting back his desire to respond in anger or frustration Ranma instead asked, "You said that the lesson was three-fold. What's the other part?"

"Tut tut my boy. I gave you all the clues you need. Now git!"

Before Ranma could react the old man stepped back and kicked him in the rear sending him flying through the mirror and into what lay beyond.

Gramps smirked at his own reflection in the now normal mirror before hobbling his way over to his desk to plop back down just in time for the door, which hadn't been there a moment before, to open allowing a young freckled red-head to run over and clamp onto his arm.

"Grampy D!"

"And how is my little Fiona eh? That rapscallion brother of yours hasn't been teasing you too much I hope?"

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Well, that's it for the prologue. Not sure when I will get around to more but I will try between working on Vicissitude.

Feel free to leave a review, its appreciated.

– Modified July 7th, 2011

– Modified August 23rd, 2011


	2. The Promise

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**(Love Hina Arc)**

**See Chapter One** for both the disclaimer and the story key. If you read past this point means you have read and understand both. Enjoy.

**!A REQUEST FROM THE AUTHOR!**

If while reading this story you happen to find any incomplete or half-finished sentences, spelling errors, grammar in need of correction, or things that just don't make sense, I ask you to feel free to send me a private message so that I might correct them. After all, I am human, thus I make mistakes. I ask for your assistance to be less human. (Private Messages can be sent via my profile.)

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***PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO POST A REVIEW***

(After you read the chapter of course.)

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**Chapter Two**

– **The Promise –**

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"Did you know that if two people who love each other go to Tokyo University They'll live happily ever after?"

These words were the first thing to register on Ranma's consciousness after he was tossed through the mirror. Next was an image of a young boy sitting in a sand box making a sand castle with a young girl; the world around them foggy, elusive, and incomplete. The same could be said of the girls face for it was a blank space containing no discernable features.

"Really?" He heard the pig-tailed boy with the small shovel ask in response to the girl's statement about future love and happiness.

"Oh great, that must be me as a child." Ranma said, his voice having no effect upon the scene before him as the girl leaned over the beginnings of the sand castle to cup the cheek of his younger self. "When we grow up…" he heard the girl say as she kissed the boys cheek leaving him with a wide-eyed and shocked expression "…let's go to the university together."

That done what happened next was hardly a shock to Ranma as a second girl formed from the foggy mists in a similar position as the first girl at the young boys side; she was kissing his other cheek.

"Figures. Even this version of me is doomed to a sucky love life. I am so going to make you pay for this Gramps."

What was worse was that this second girl was even less identifiable then the first as her hair shifted in style and color, from short and brown to long and black along with every possible permutation in-between.

"Great, just wonderful. Thanks a lot Gramps! How the heck am I supposed to know who to avoid!" He yelled at the formless sky above.

When he lowered his head back to witness his younger self being dragged away from the sandbox by a large portly man in a white gi.

"Pops?" Ranma then chuckled. "He had hair."

As his old man dragged the younger him away the two young females stood crying, as they watched him being dragged away. Twin echoing voices called out to his departing form telling him goodbye and they would see him again. He heard the voices asking him to remember that they would meet again in Tokyo U someday and asking him to promise to be there.

"Don't do it… oh please don't." Ranma moaned in response to their request.

His shoulders sagged and he let out the breath he hadn't even been aware he was holding when the younger him yell back he promised. Ranma could feel it in his very soul, a reverberation of time echoing back on him as he felt a metaphorical noose tighten around his neck.

The young boy echoed his next words as his father dragged him into the fog. "And Ranma Saotome never forgets a promise."

The scene again shifted, showing him many images of bits of his life in this reality and the damnable training trip he'd already survived through once. However, this time things went a bit differently.

He watched as at every turn his father tried to keep the younger Ranma from reading what he denounced as useless books harping pointless it was for the young boy to read them when the only thing he needed to know was the art. Besides this penchant for learning everything followed most of what he recalled of his life right up until he was supposed to meet with Ukyo; which in this life apparently didn't happen as his father decided that more drastic measures were needed to force his younger self upon the proper path. This of course meant learning the Neko-ken at even an earlier age.

With a shiver Ranma watched Genma collect dozens of cats and toss them into a pit while the eight year old version of himself sat on a nearby boulder enjoying a book – one Ranma instinctively knew to be quite advanced in level for one of such a young age to be reading. On the cover he read the words 'Advanced Calculus'.

"Cool, at least I'm some kind of genius or something." Ranma said proudly before his father's grumbling about the other him's useless desire to do schoolwork brought him back to the fact he was about to suffer through the Neko-ken a second time.

Wishing he could turn away as his father was about to toss the younger him into the pit for the third time a little old woman showed up and proceeded to trounce Genma into next week in the name of defending her grandchild.

It was from this point forward the two Ranma's lives truly diverged.

From there on he, the younger Ranma, spent half the year in training the other with his grandmother; a deal Genma managed to work out with the older woman after she'd chased him down the seventh time he'd kidnapped the young boy from either her or his mother in an effort to keep the boy on the proper path of a martial artist.

The watching Ranma observed the changes wrought on his life due to the interference of the old women he'd come to know as his grandmother who fostered his love of learning. He saw as he met his adopted sister Kanako and how the other him helped her adapt to being in a new family. He couldn't help but chuckle at seeing how exasperated his mother became when he encouraged Kanako's early love of martial arts.

It tore at his heart each time he watched the same little girl cry when it came time for Genma to take him away for a six month training trip; each trip ending when his grandmother came to retrieve him despite the old bastards attempts to keep Ranma to himself.

While with Genma the younger Ranma learned as much about Anything Goes as the man could stuff into the smaller amount of time. This of course meant that Genma took even more insane risks to ensure his child was the best. He of course forbade any books being brought along on the trip and would burn or destroy any he found the younger hiding. It also resulted in even more difficult and dangerous training.

During his time away from his father his younger self would spend time with his family and going to school which gave him the chance to interact with people instead of being forced to lean on his old man as the observing Ranma had. Despite this the younger Ranma had few friends as he devoted himself to his book learning and spending time with his sister teaching her what he had learned, that is when he wasn't spending his time with his grandmother learning the Urashima Style. Of course throughout all of this the younger Ranma found a way to study for school with the same relish he threw at learning the arts.

Inevitably Genma would show up one week before it was his time with his son and try his best to be with his wife in a marital way. His mother, Nodoka Urashima at the time Saotome, wanted nothing of her husband citing that Genma was not the man she thought she had married. Not only did she considered him unmanly for his failure to provide her with a second child but for his refusal to allow her son anything in the way of scholarly pursuits so that he would not become the uncouth ruffian her husband seemed set on turning him in to instead of the epitome of manliness she wished her son to be.

Not having a second child was the reason behind Nodoka's adoption Kanako. She had hoped to fill the void in her life with a second child, one whom she demanded act like the perfect Japanese woman. This went over about as well as swimming with a boulder on your back with the more physically inclined Kanako who saw learning martial arts as a way to remain closer to her brother, a brother upon whom she doted whenever possible.

The observing Ranma watched as his mother's demands upon the young girl drove her to spend more time with her grandmother during the times his younger self was off training with his father resulting in a split in the family as Nodoka slowly turned away from Kanako saying she was more her mother's child then hers. Shortly after Kanako's tenth birthday, during Ranma's thirteenth, Nodoka gave up all attempts to raise the young girl pushing her off on to her grandmother.

It was also about this time that Nodoka began seeking to end her marriage with Genma so that she could legally prevent Genma from taking her son away from her for half the year. These proved unsuccessful as the courts denied her as she had no solid grounds upon which to request it or proof that Ranma was unsafe in her husband's care. Things might have been different had Nodoka been willing to seek her grandmothers help but she stubbornly refused to accept assistance from the woman whom she felt was responsible for turning her adopted daughter against her by teaching her the unladylike warrior arts during Ranma's times with his father.

By his fourteenth birthday and Kanako's eleventh, young Ranma had no contact with his sister, his aunt, or his grandmother as Nodoka shunned them. His every moment had become filled with training – the fighting arts when with his father and the manly when with his mother. This left the younger Ranma with little time to spend for himself as all this time was taken up by his parents expectations – expectations that despite his best attempts to meet neither parent seemed satisfied with as they pushed him for perfection while condemning the others teachings as a waste of his potential.

Things became clouded to the observing Ranma during his younger selves sixteenth year. He was able to see highlights such as his father taking the other him to Jusenkyo where, just as before, they ended up cursed – Ranma as a girl and his father as a panda. He saw how when Genma failed to return with her son that fall his mother turned to her mother for assistance. What happened to him over the next several months was shrouded by fog up until elder Urashima woman, his alternates grandmother, caught up with Genma at the Tendo home in Nerima where she yet again taught him that despite her age she was not one to be trifled with. After this time seemed to jump around rather than be shrouded in fog; the one thing that came through quite clearly was that Nodoka finally accepted her mother's assistance in getting Genma out of their family's life. Thus by the beginning of Ranma's seventeenth year of life he, his sister, and his mother were removed from the Saotome register and transferred to that of the Urashima Clan – the marriage between Genma and Nodoka having been stricken from the records completely.

Another thing he saw was how the newly cursed Ranma lost his confidence; quickly growing distant from everyone, turning to his school work as a means of escape. Eventually his lack of confidence extended even to this aspect of his life as he began to second guess his answers for even the simplest of questions resulting in further despondency. Despite this Ranma didn't give up, his hopes now pinned on meeting up with his promised girl and living happily ever after.

The watching Ranma observed as his now older counterpart let this drag on for three years, making fewer friends and even less social contact with people than he'd had while being chased by his fiancée's. He watched as the older Ranma buried himself in the goal of meeting his promised girl and the dream living happily ever after; hopes which were suffering a severe beating when he'd failed the entrance exam to Tokyo University not once but twice due to self-doubt or plain bad luck.

A month or so after failing the second time Ranma got into an argument with his mother over his refusal of another miai with one of the girl's his mother had found for him to marry. The meeting itself turned into a martial arts match as it coincided with the arrival of another fiancée courtesy of his estranged father who seemed to have continued to live his life as if Ranma were still a Saotome and not an Urashima.

Instead of laying the blame upon her husband Nodoka instead laid it upon Ranma who she felt was failing to meet his responsibilities as a man; thus in the aftermath of this catastrophe she made it clear he was to leave her home not to return until he had both a University Education, wherever he could get it, and a prospective bride. Nothing else would be acceptable.

Thus it was with a heavy heart the alternate Ranma, now twenty, found himself standing on the opposite side of the street from a long flight of stairs leading up to a building high above on the hillside. Idly both Ranma's noted the quaint little teashop at the bottom of the hill to the side of the stairs appeared to be doing a small bit of business if the customers they saw were any indication.

For some reason Ranma could hear the boys thoughts as he looked longingly across the street. '_Here it is! This has to be the place Grandma runs. The Hinata Inn. I hope she'll welcome me. She seemed glad to hear from me when I called after all she invited me to visit._'

"So, this must be the place the old man told me I have to live in 'til I figure out his 'lesson'. It doesn't look so bad." The observing Ranma commented to himself as he watched his counterpart heft his backpack into a more comfortable place on his back before starting to cross the street. He also wondered how soon he would be more than just an observer in this little drama. He got his answer as a car clipped the young man sending him flying to slam into the stairs after which he saw the older Ranma's spirit lifting out of his body even as he felt himself being pulled towards the downed body.

"Aw man… done in by a car? You've gotta be kidding me…" Ranma said as his floating form approached that of the downed body. Just before the two of them touched, Ranma saw the boys eyes open wide in surprise to hear the whispered words of "What the…" come out of his mouth. Then everything tasted purple.

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

Second Chapter Finished. I'm thinking I may make all of these much shorter than originally intended. We'll see.

Feel free to leave a review, its appreciated.

1) Miai – Formal marriage interview. (Wiki)

– Modified July 7th, 2011

– Modified August 23rd, 2011


	3. Meeting the Residents Part I

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**(Love Hina Arc)**

**Warning****: **It is assumed that you've read the disclaimer in the first chapter posted if you read past this point.

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

**Chapter Three**

– **Meeting The Residents –**

– **Part I –**

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

Experiencing a kaleidoscope of emotions and images all at once isn't much fun. Having someone else's hopes, dreams, and fears thrust on you all at once had to rank up there with one of the most painful experiences Ranma had had; even when considering some of the things he'd eaten courtesy of Akane. This is what Ranma felt as his spirit settled into the body of the other him. Strangely Ranma felt relief towards tend, and not a relief brought on by the pain going away. No, that he expected and eagerly embraced. This sense of relief came from the previous occupant leaving a bitter taste in his mouth as Ranma felt the spirit of the other him welcome him his arrival as a way to escape the pains of his life.

'_Coward._' The thought resonated throughout the very core of Ranma's being as he felt the last vestiges of their merger take place; to which the departing essence responded with a gaily thrown '_Your problem now pal. Enjoy!_'

Once the last of the tingling sensations of the merger had passed Ranma blinked his eyes open to find he was still lying on the stairs where his body had been thrown after being hit by the car and just like in his previous life no one had stopped to lend him a hand. With a shrug of acceptance he picked himself and dusted himself off. He was both pleased and surprised to find that his body had suffered no damage, not even a bruising.

Doing a few stretches and bounces to see what else he could tell about the body he found, much to his expectation, that it had suffered from the other him not practicing any of the art since Jusenkyo.

'_Damn, gonna have to work this body to get it into shape but with what I have in mind it shouldn't take too long._'

Closing his eyes Ranma reached inwards to see what he could find of his ki and smiled widely at finding it easily accessible as well as being quite substantial. It was more than what his memory told him he had before being pulled from his life by the strange hunched geezer, a lot more.

Ranma's smile turned to a quizzical frown when he noticed most his ki was being channeled into his body and recycled back. It was a technique he could recognize, one used to strengthen the body's resistance to damage and it left him confused as to why his other self had passed away so easily.

'_No wonder I don't have a scratch after being hit by a car. Thos bodies healing and damage absorbing ability makes me as tough as Ryoga if not more. So why didn't he survive?_' A moment later he snorted in disgust as the realization that the other him had not wanted to survive dawned on him. '_Damn, he must've let the technique lapse just so he could escape his life! What a coward!_'

Pushing his anger at the other him away Ranma thought about how tough his body must be despite having no actual physical conditioning, '_I doubt being run over by several tanks would do much damage to this body unless it was either taxed or ill._'

'_Definitely gonna toughen this body up that's for sure. Maybe try the bakutsai Tenketsu if I get the chance._'

Gazing up the long flight of stairs Ranma began his trek towards the inn. '_Least I won't have to deal with any stupid females out for my blood this time around and it'll be nice to get in some training with old granny. I wonder how little Kanako's progressed. Maybe she'll be a good sparring partner to get me back in shape!_'

Once he reached the top he looked back with a smile on his face thinking how the stairs would be good endurance training if he ran up and down them several times. As it stood his body was in much better shape than expected considering four years of disuse. Filing thoughts of training away for later Ranma took a good look at the building at the top of the stairs noting it was a huge hotel that looked to be well kept. A few places showed some signs of repairs that needed to be done but overall the place was clearly well kept.

"Perhaps I can offer to fix some of the place up for Granny Hina as payment for staying." Ranma commented to himself while seeking signs of further disrepair so he could point them out during his bid to convince his grandmother to let him live here. In that moment he also noticed how easy seemed for him to refer to the woman he had in fact never known as granny. He was rather pleased to know it came naturally and without the sarcastic tone with which he used to refer to Cologne as what he recalled of how the woman had treated the other him made him jealous at the time for he had wished there had been someone like her for him in his life.

Opening the door Ranma called out for someone to answer him a few times but received no response.

Looking around a bit he could see the place was indeed as well kept on the inside as out, in fact more so. Kasumi would've been pleased at such a sight. Figuring he would go in and see if he could find any his grandmother or sister Ranma made his way into the house with the intent to find them.

Standing at the bottom of the stairs he called out again "Yo Granny, it's your grandson come to pay you a visit."

Getting no answer he called out again, this time intending to tease her with one of the terms he'd use on her when he, the other he, was training with her. "Hello? Old bat you there?"

Again he received no answer.

"Huh." Ranma commented to himself while wandering around poking his head into random rooms which by chance or design just happened to be ones which contained no signs of occupation. "It's like nobody lives here or something. If it weren't for the lack of dust I'd think exactly that."

Finally coming across the room marked manager Ranma went in only to find it in the same condition as the rest. Wondering what was going on he tossed his backpack to the floor then joined it. "Guess I'll wait here for the old broad to come home."

From where he lay Ranma easily noticed the hole in the ceiling. '_Ok, so maybe the place does need some work on the inside too. Shesh, didn't granny do anything to keep this place up and running besides dust it?_'

Rolling fluidly to his side then to a seated lotus position Ranma pulled his bag to him and began to take inventory.

"Let's see… math, literature, Japanese history, biology, English, architecture, Japanese law…"

"Didn't that guy pack anything other than books?" Four more study books came out. "What did he plan to wear if he was allowed to stay here?"

Pausing for a moment Ranma was pleased to find he could still do the ki-warp trick allowing him to store stuff in his weapons-space much like Mousse did. He was equally thankful to discover another pack inside which contained clothing as well as his normal travel pack from his training journeys. "Least the old coot left me with something from before."

Rooting through the three packs he found four sets of ID, two male and two female. Of the males one showed him as Ranma Urashima, age twenty, resident of Juuban while the other was for a Ranma Saotome, age twenty-seven, resident of Nerima. The two female ones were similar but instead of both being for Ranma Saotome it was for Ranko Tendo of Nerima.

In addition to those he found four sets of international passports; the older of the two having been stamped multiple times indicating he'd made many trips back and forth between Japan, China, America, the Middle East, Canada, Africa, as well as several countries in Europe and Asia.

"Well, least I know how many years the old coot took from me." One thing he was pleased to note was that his picture in both sets of identification matched pretty well with what he looked like now save for the fact that the younger ones showed him wearing glasses. This of course left him wondering he'd inherited vision problems from the Ranma he'd replaced but after a few tests it proved to be a baseless concern though he did briefly wonder if not wearing glasses might cause him problems with those who knew him. If so, he'd deal with it later.

Putting away both sets of IDs, one in his school bag the other in his stuff-space, Ranma finished going through everything in each pack, the last item of which was a picture book filled with images from picture booths. Images of himself with flowery backgrounds, anime ones, ones with ca-felines littered nearly every page, which he found odd as this Ranma had been subjected to at least the first stages of the Neko-ken before being rescued by his grandmother. Of the twenty some odd pages filled with stickers more than half contained felines as part of their background. He also noted that not a single one contained anyone other than him.

"Ok, the other me had some seriously weird hobbies…" Ranma commented as he separated the school text books from the smaller pile of personal items. These included not only the sticker book but a cook book or two on how to make desserts, a sketch pad, and a rather well cared for box of pencils.

Finished separating everything in the pack into piles on the floor Ranma considered his next course of action aloud, "So, given the other me's apparent obsession with school work it shouldn't be too hard to Tokyo University. That is once I start getting more of the blasted memories the old man promised me."

'_As to what the old man wanted me to do here as the third goal it's gotta have something to do with that one of those girls in the sandbox and that means my life won't be a uncomplicated as I'd hoped it'd be. Not with girl troubles already._'

Ranma then chuckled as he recalled memories of kicking up a fuss with his father over having to leave his 'promised girl' behind. '_Bet that stuck in pop's craw having his precious son pining over some lost girl when he should be thinking about marrying a Tendo._' He paused in his thoughts, a frown lingering on his lips '_Wish I could remember what happened during the time I spent in Nerima but it's all a damn fog._'

'_No doubt pop's did engage me to one of the Tendo's, but what one?_' He again tried his best to dredge up any memories of the time he'd spent in Nerima only to come up blank.

"Damn it old man!" Ranma cursed aloud. "Why don't I have the memories like you said I would!"

Not getting an answer to his question and knowing his anger wasn't doing him any good, Ranma tried to meditate in hopes something more might make itself known about his situation and after a time this turned into a study of his massive ki which he started to force into different paths in order make it more useful than its current use of making him nigh-invulnerable. His efforts were rewarded as he went from sitting normally to supporting himself vertically by two fingers, his legs still in folded in the lotus position – something his semi-out of shape body could not have managed without the use of ki. He then went into a flurry of motion in the form of a improvise kata which ended when he did a snap kick that resulted in a slight popping sound and a lot of groaning.

'_Not too bad over all, sure I'm nowhere as limber as I used to be but I can work on it._' Stretching back the other way his back popped again relieving some of the pain his previous move had created. '_Looks like I've got as much speed as I did when I arrived at the Tendo's and if I had to guess I'd say my strength is about the same as well so all I need to do is work this body into better shape._'

After few minutes of cool down stretches he headed towards the door figuring that he'd spent enough time in what he thought of as his grandmother's room to go get a lay of the land and hopefully find one of his family members so he could get started on trying to convince his grandmother to let him stay.

A few minutes later he made a discovery that pleased him to no end in the form of the hot springs. "Sweet! Free hot water whenever I need ta change back to a guy, maybe this won't be so bad after all!"

Figuring to take advantage of the place and perhaps work out the pain he was feeling in his back Ranma was soon naked, lounging in the sweet embrace of warm waters of the hot spring.

"Now this is the life." A smiling Ranma inched deeper into the water enjoying the way it made him feel. "No tomboys trying to pound me into the dirt for being a pervert. No dim-witted kendoist's or their sisters chasin' me." His smile widened "And with no Nabiki around I should be able to actually save some yen and actually enjoy it for a change or any pops to ruin my day with his stupidity. The only downside is that I won't get to eat Kasumi's cooking."

**ooOOoo**

In various rooms around the inn several girls sneezed unexpectedly.

**ooOOoo**

"Still," Ranma folded his hands behind his head as he leaned further back into the water while relaxing against the side of the spring "it's a trade I'm willin' to deal with if it means that the kami are done messin' with my life."

With a contented sigh Ranma smiled up at the blue sky and closed his eyes to drift off. Had he stayed more alert of his surroundings for but a minute more he would have easily detected the sounds of someone moving around in the changing room, as it was he barely detected the scrape of the sliding door as whomever it was entered the spring area proper. When he finally managed to drag himself into a seated position to greet who he assumed would be his grandmother or sister Ranma could only stare wide-eyed at the honey-haired teen holding a skimpy towel to her chest as she eased herself into the water very much close to where he was.

'_Ok, that is definitely not Granny Hina or Kanako…_' Ranma thought in both despair and panic whilst the more primal part of his brain registered how attractive the girl was with her long honey-colored hair and a rather curvy figure that showed the youthfulness of a girl still entering the full bloom of womanhood. From her cute face, her obviously full but still hidden bosom, down to her long legs this female was nothing to sneeze at. He even liked the two odd antennae like flips of hair which gave her a distinct appearance that added to her allure as well as set her apart from the girls who called themselves his fiancée's in either life.

His moment of introspection in comparing this girls looks to that of the girls from Nerima was cut short when he realized this girl had been talking to him clearly asking him his advice on something from the tone. That something turned to clearly involve her now uncovered chest which she was holding up with her hands in clear presentation.

Gulping, cheeks bright red and mouth dry Ranma simply couldn't bring himself to react. Sure he'd been in such positions with Shampoo in the past but there was innocence to this girl's expression that didn't trip his kneejerk reaction to get the heck away before he would be pounded for being a pervert. Ranma gulped, his cheeks turning a bright red, his mouth drying near instantly.

"So, do you?" He heard the girl inquire, her voice shy and inquiring.

'_Do I what?_' A confused Ranma asked himself.

"Oh come on Kitsune, I know yours are bigger but what do you think? Do you think they've gotten bigger or what?" The girl asked, a bit of annoyance creeping into tone as she pressed her mounds together to present them for better inspection.

Eyes briefly flicking down despite himself Ranma blushed bright red then flipped around presenting the girl with his back.

'_I'm not staring… I'm not staring… I'm not…_'

A bit of blood escaped his nose when the girl pressed herself against his back.

"I know they don't compare to yours Kitsune but you could at least give a girl some encouragement. Here I'll let you touch them!" Said girl announced as she reached a hand into the water to try to grab what she thought was her friend's hands from her lap. What she grabbed wasn't an arm, and it was definitely something Ranma was not about to try to run away without.

'_Huh, that doesn't feel like Kitsune's arm. It also doesn't feel like Kitsune's back… it's too firm._'Naru thought to herself while giving what she believed was her friends arm a gentle squeeze. '_And whatever this is it's getting harder and larger…_'

Not letting go of what she'd grabbed Naru reached over to pick up her glasses from where she lain them at the water's edge before getting in. Without flipping out the ear pieces Naru leaned back against Kitsune's back to gaze down into her lap so she could better make out what she had a hold of.

Her eyes widened at what she saw through the semi-clear water of the springs, and she knew it wasn't anyone's arm. She let her vision slowly move from looking into the water to go up the taunt muscled stomach, the wide and chiseled and clearly male chest, to stop their traversing when they met the eyes of the male who shared the waters of the hot springs with her. For the briefest of moments she found that those eyes mesmerizing despite the fear she saw in them. She even briefly smiled as she found his blush to be endearingly cute. So distracted what she saw in his eyes Naru failed to even notice when Ranma, who would've long since vacated the waters if a part of him were not firmly in her grasp, slowly turned so they were facing each other.

'_Great,_' the lone male in the bath asked himself '_what is it with me people walking in on me when I'm bathing? First Akane, than Shampoo, than Nabiki… heck even Kasumi did it once or twice after the wedding. Shoot even mom did it once!_'

When the girl didn't automatically start screaming Ranma became slightly confused. '_Funny,_' Ranma thought while watching Naru's face and upper chest flush, his stormy eyes locked with her caramel brown ones. '_I don't see any of the fear I'd normally see from a girl in this kind of situation._'

'_Wait, there it is…_' He commented inwardly as he witnessed the fear appear in her eyes during a series of long drawn out blinks between which she alternated between looking at his face than down to what she still had a grip of. His eyes however never left her face despite seeing her now forgotten towel drifting away in the waters out of the corner of his. Sure a part of him kept saying take a peek, after all she's looking at him but he knew from past occurrences doing so would only compound the issue later.

Thinking of times he'd been in such situations Ranma began what he referred to as the 'countdown' '_Ok, if my guess is right she'll take about four more seconds for the shock to pass…_'

:-:PLIP:-:

'_And there it is in the form of her glasses falling into the water. Now, from the way her cheeks are going from a flush to red along with how her eyes are widening like an owls she's got about another two seconds before she fully goes from embarrassed to frightened._'

To his relief the hand that a hold of him let go as both her hands went to her face as she let out an ear-piercing scream for help.

With years of self-preservation instincts to call upon Ranma snatched up his towel as he leapt out of the spring seeking to put some distance between himself and the screaming girl in the vain hope of finding one of his family present in the inn so he could explain his side of the story. Not that he expected to be believed, but still. A hope is a hope.

He barely had the towel wrapped around his lower body when it came, the expected cry of 'PERVERT!'. The continued cries for help were something new. Without stopping to see if her cries were being answered Ranma slide open the door to the changing room and rushed inside, his momentum carrying him into the room and right into the person just coming out. Arms going around the person he'd run into Ranma twisted his body so that his would be the body to take the brunt of their fall and slide across the dry stone-tiled floor.

Once they'd ceased sliding the pig-tailed ronin couldn't quite figure out why it was suddenly dark out or why he was having a problem getting air to his lungs; that is until whomever was lying across the top of his body used their arms to brace themselves thus freeing him to be able to take in some oxygen. Three things went through Ranma's mind in that instant as his eyes swept from the breasts then up to yet another pair of brown eyes; One – they were bigger than even Shampoos, Two – despite the fact it didn't look like this girl exercised she was still in very good shape as she was soft in all the right ways, and Three – he had his hands firmly grasping her ass and she didn't seem to mind if the way she ground her waist into his was any indication.

'_Mom would be proud…_'

The steadily growing grin on her face as she spoke did little to set him at ease, "Not exactly the kinda tumble I'd picture with someone as handsome as you honey, but ya can't have all ya dreams come true. Least not too quickly. After all a girls gotta have somethin' ta look forward to."

Ranma resisted the urge to throw the soft figured girl off of him when she began to run a finger down his chest. He also couldn't help notice she'd lowered her body enough to once again place the lower half of his face within the confines of her ample bosom.

"So, gotta name there handsome? And maybe a reason you're currently massaging my bum?"

Though he understood her question and attempted to answer it he really hadn't connected the continued action of his hands massaging her bottom. His words however did have the effect of making the girl smile even more as she rather likes the effect his talking into her cleavage had.

Very briefly Ranma entertained the idea of allowing his libido have a go for a change when his instincts cried out for him to move, and move fast. Obeying them without thought he flipped himself and the girl over in time to miss being struck by the doors leading to the hot spring as they slammed into the floor where he and his entwined companion had just been lying. Now on top and his face free of breastly obstructions Ranma was easily able to lean away from the girl he still lay upon and turn slightly to see that the doors removal was the responsibility of the girl from the springs.

Amusingly enough he felt that the girl below him now had her hands firmly on his buttocks, she was even giving them a good squeezing while muttering 'Buns 'o steel'.

"**Mitsune!**" Ranma heard the first girl yell while she stomped angrily his way, her hands forming fists. "**Get off her you pervert!**"

Knowing what was coming and that he best get a move on to avoid it the towel clad male favored the girl he figured to be Mitsune with an apologetic smile before whispering "Sorry about this" even as he gently but quickly extracted himself from her arms to spring towards the doorway leading into the inn proper.

Despite her disappointment at having the hunk of a male leaving her Kitsune didn't let it get her down as he had not only given her an apology but she'd been afforded a pleasant but momentary view up his towel as he ran up and over her prone form. Like Naru, she was of a mind to chase this 'Pervert' but she had rather different things in mind as ways to punish him for his transgression of peeping.

As if sensing those ideas Ranma shivered as he dashed through the door only to again encounter a female in the way of his path of retreat; this time a young blonde haired girl with dark skin that marked her as non-Japanese. Without thought he slipped an arm about her waist spinning her gently around his still moving form ending with her standing facing the direction he was headed while placing her firmly in the path of any who might try to follow him out of the room; the spin had the added effect of tossing the contents of the wicker basket the girl had in her arms into the air.

'_I should stop opening doors! I don't need any more women popping up!_' The escaping martial artist thought while tossing a brief apology over his shoulder without stopping – his destination now the second floor where he hoped to lose those he could now hear following him. His plan was to make it to the safety of his grandmother's room where he figured he could pick up his belongings and make a run for it from this estrogen infested establishment with the intent of coming back later.

Casting a brief glance over his shoulder he was pleased to see that no pursuit followed him as of yet. This of course meant he failed to notice the door ahead sliding open as a young dark haired girl stepped into his path. He would have collided with her in an uncontrolled fashion had it not been for him hearing her calling out to the others asking what all the noise was about.

'_Damn it! Where were they all when I was going through this place earlier!_'

Knowing he wouldn't be able stop in time and that sliding along the floor wasn't an option as he'd still bowl right into her Ranma instead picked up speed. Hardly three feet from the now wide-eyed girl he tossed himself forward and up, spinning his body so his feet would touch down on the ceiling above Ranma's toes latched onto the central beam running down the hallways ceiling where he began to skitter across down the hall like he'd learned to do from Sentaro Daimonji's grandmother during his long since fought tea ceremony battle. Sadly his towel wasn't immune to gavity for it fell down around his chest leaving him quite exposed for a moment to the little girl's eyes before he used his hands up to hold the towel in place.

He heard the girls startled "Eep" and someone asking her if the pervert had hurt her as he skittered around the corner. '_Great, now I really am a pervert. Flashing a young girl like that, what were you thinking Ranma?_' he also cursed the fact that the whole episode had caused him to miss the stairs which meant he was now headed into an area of the inn he hadn't explored while looking for his grandmother.

Casually dropping to the floor Ranma paused to consider his next course of action only to hear a cry of "**Stop right there you pervert!**" come from the honey-blonde who was rushing down the hall towards him with a fist cocked back in clear indication of how she was going to attack.

'_What is it with women and that word? Is it their favorite or something?_' Ranma thought as he did his best to keep ahead of the girl chasing him while keeping his modesty intact. '_Do they teach women so say it right after they teach them to say mommy?_'

"I saw him head this way! Towards the back stairs." Ranma heard the girl with the Kansai accent call out from someplace in the direction he was heading but down a floor.

Thankful for the information provided by his pursuers about a set of back stairs the feeling martial artist made use of them himself taking them two or three a time. '_Why does this happen? Is there something about being seen naked that makes them reach for the nearest pitchfork and torch without givin' a guy a chance to explain?_'

Ranma ducked a thrown shoe. '_Noooooo… Its there's the pervert… bash him he saw me naked… so what if I walked in on him first… So what if I was the one who got groped … I'm male so it __**must**__ be all my fault. Bah, females._'

"**There's the panty thief! He's heading for the stairs!**" He heard a second voice call out from down the hall he was about to turn left down.

'_What are they heck are they going on about I haven't taken any panties!_'

Hearing people coming up the stairs from below Ranma went up only to skid to a stop when they topped out leaving him standing on an open-air deck. "Just great, absolutely freakin' great, I would end up at a dead end."

"You hate me don't you?" He asked the heavens.

Casting a glance over the edge of the deck's railing Ranma considered leaping down, unsure of how this body would handle something from this height. While he was sure he wouldn't get hurt, the damage preventing technique that made him almost invincible did little to actually dampen pain which meant such a leap would likely inconvenience him long enough for these girls to catch up. Which if his senses were right, they'd already done.

Slowly turning around he found himself faced by five girls.

The honey-haired one looked angry enough to bite the head off nails.

The ash-blonde who's breasts he'd had his faced mashed into looked a bit peeved, but he could also tell she was giving him the once over as he'd seen many woman do to him in the past. That look always made him feel more uncomfortable than one of anger. Angry women were easy to deal with; amorous ones were far more dangerous.

Lingering in the back, still holding the ladle she'd had when he saw her come into the hall was the young dark haired girl he'd unintentionally flashed. The memory of which caused him to blush in embarrassment.

Bouncing on her heels flitting from opening to opening between the girls glaring at him was the younger blonde foreign girl. She looked like she was trying to find the best spot from which to watch the upcoming beat down Ranma was sure he was about to receive. The wide smile on her face was nearly as unnerving as the appraising look he was getting from the older girl.

The final one gave him the most concern. This one he hadn't met until now and by the look in her eyes he knew this one would just as soon as remove his head with the bokken she held at the ready as she would look at him. The fact she was wearing a female Kendo outfit left him with another worry; that he might have a female Kuno on his hands.

"Look… can't we talk about this?" Ranma held up his hands to show his surrender even as the sword wielding girl and the honey-blonde advanced on him with nasty grins plastered on their faces. "I just came here looking for my grandmother. I didn't mean to see anything I wasn't supposed to. Just let me get my stuff and I'll go ok?"

Ranma saw the honey-blonde act first, charging at him yelling something about eating her atomic punch.

Reacting instantly he twisted out of the way of the punch allowing the girl flow past him towards the railing of the deck. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the ash-haired girl dash towards where her friend was headed.

'_Sure hope she can stop her friend from going over the edge in time._' Holding on to his towel with one hand to prevent any further flashing on his part Ranma ducked under a swing of the sword-wielding kendo girl took at his head as well as the several follow-up strikes which forced him to dance away from the edge of the deck and into the middle.

'_Damn it, why won't they listen? I don't want to have to fight back against a bunch of girls who are only tryin' to protect themselves._'

Behind him he could hear the first girl grumbling as she yelled at her friends to pull her back on to the deck, which to his relief the remaining three were doing.

"**Hold still vile pervert and take your punishment!**"

'_Is this girl serious? First she looks at me like Akane does when she's about too pound me into next week and now she's even using some of Akane's insults! Worse yet she talks like Kuno!_'

"This can't be happening…" Ranma drooled out while pinching his nose even as he dodged another downward sword strike from the enraged kendoist. "Look, this is all a mistake…"

"Your mistake was daring to come here to practice your vile perversions male!"

Ranma surprised Motoko with his speed when appeared inside her guard, one hand firmly holding the wrist of the hand holding her blade. She could feel the touch of his breath on her lips as he spoke, "Get this straight, I am not a pervert and if you give me the chance to explain…" he then leaped back to avoid a fist to the face from Naru who shouted "GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER YOU PERVERT!"

"Look you crazy tomboy, if you'd give me the chance to explain!"

"Tomboy!" Naru yelled out as she continued to try to get a piece of Ranma. "I'll show you tomboy you degenerate!"

"DIE MALE!" Motoko cried out as she too began to try to strike him down only to meet air as Ranma continued to dodge them with little difficulty. That is until he slipped upon some ice which suddenly appeared on the deck beneath his feet.

'_Where the hell did that come from?_' Ranma asked himself as he felt both girls get in solid hits on him, the combination of which rocketed him skyward.

"Ok… that stung." The now airborne Urashima mumbled against the force of the wind pushing against his face and as his rage induced journey reached its apex he noted how high he was off the ground with a smirk. "Those chicks knocked me pretty high; even so, they didn't even come close to beating Akane's record and it took two of 'em ta get me this far up."

During the brief second he hung in air as gravity reasserted itself Ranma took a moment to look around "Nice looking town," he then flipped himself so was facing downwards "hope they are all up-to-date with their insurance payments."

A quarter of the way to the ground he gave out a smile shout of glee, "Hey! They got a Wendys, I thought they all went out of business!" a second later, after startling a bird, Ranma noted a pair of panties fluttering not far from his flight path. "Heh, I guess those things must've been on me someplace. No wonder they called me a panty thief, hope they didn't want those." What he left unsaid was his curiosity as to whom, out of the girls he'd seen, could of the pair of black lacy thongs belonged to.

Half way through his decent Ranma decided to try to have some fun with it, so he gave out a whooping cry of "**LOOK OUT BELOW!**" while throwing his arms wide and shifting his axis enough to start his body going into a spiral. Around his waist his towel whipped in the wind threatening to come loose as it fluttered. If the descending martial artist had been able to see himself he might've been reminded of a shuttlecock. (2)

His impact created a nice sized crater throwing up dust and dirt in a cloud some thirty feet or so in size. Later when he inspected his crash point he would whistle softly at the ten foot round, foot deep indent he'd created in instead of the body shaped one he'd expected to generate.

By the time a good portion of the dust had cleared Ranma was already pulling himself to his feet feeling rather impressed by how little pain he'd felt hitting the ground after a fall of that height. Sure he'd flown further and fallen harder in the past but this body was hardly in the shape his previous one was in.

"Guess there's something to this ki technique that I didn't see." Ranma muttered as he dusted himself off while moving to the edge of the crater. When a sudden breeze cleared away the last of the dust cloud his landing had created he could see that he'd landed about where he'd aimed for; just outside the inn a bit off to the side of the path leading up to the main doors from the long stairs to the street below. However, his satisfaction at having hit the mark he'd set for himself was overshadowed by the fact he was about to subjected to further annoyance in the form of female righteousness as the females from earlier poured out of the house like ants to head in his direction.

Figuring to put his best foot forward Ranma decided to start out the conversation. "What the hell was with hitting me like that?" He yelled. "I you'd just given me the chance to explain none of this crap would'a happened!"

"Don't try to make this out like it's my fault you pervert!" Naru, the lead girl of the gaggle shouted back as she continued to stop her way forward.

"IT IS ALL YOUR FAULT! If you had just let me explain that I came here ta see my Grandmother who owns this place instead'a groping me in the bath none of this would'a happened!"

Ok, maybe not his best foot.

"Inn?", said girl ground out, eyes narrowing in righteous fury. "This isn't an inn you baka, this is a girl's dormitory!" Their self-appointed spokeswoman yelled, pointing at the sign next to the door where there for all to see was a plaque with the words 'Hinata Inn, All Girls Dormitory' inscribed upon it.

Ranma's intended shout back turned instead to him blinking at the aforementioned sign. "This…is… an all girl's dormitory?"

"Yes you baka!" Naru folded her arms over her chest, fuming at the male before her. "And if you're going to try to make up a lie you could do better than claiming your grandmother owns the place, or that it's an inn!"

Smiling nastily Naru took a snipe at him, "Admit it; you're just a perverted peeping tom trying to get a cheap thrill by spying on innocent girls in the bath!"

Her snipe was lost on Ranma, who was staring up at the sky pleading with the heavens. "You've gotta be kidding me…"

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Third chapter done, thankfully a bit longer than the previous ones. Yes, it followed the manga closely, as will most of the first few chapters. At least it's moving faster than Vicissitude does! Who knows how much I can cram into one day of Ranma Urashima's day! As Ranma moves in and gets more involved with things the story will branch off, though key points of the original story by Ken Akamatsu will still occur.

There is no set pairing for this tale, nor am I looking for votes concerning one.

Feel free to leave a review, its appreciated.

**Notes**

1) The lotus position involves resting each foot on the opposite thigh so that the soles face upwards. If only one foot is brought into this position, it is called a half-lotus position. This position is common in yoga and meditation.

2) The shuttlecock (or shuttle) is a feathered projectile whose unique aerodynamic properties cause it to fly differently from the balls used in most racquet sports; in particular, the feathers create much higher drag, causing the shuttlecock to decelerate more rapidly than a ball. Shuttlecocks have a much higher top speed, when compared to other racquet sports. Because shuttlecock flight is affected by wind, competitive badminton is best played indoors. Badminton is also played outdoors as a casual recreational activity, often as a garden or beach game.

– Modified July 7th, 2011

– Modified August 24th, 2011

– Modified December 21st, 2011


	4. Meeting the Residents Part II

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**(Love Hina Arc)**

**Disclaimer****:** I do not own Ranma 1/2 or Love Hina, nor do I own any other characters from any other series that will be introduced in this story. If I touch upon things that other authors have previously written, I hope that they will consider this a form of homage to their creativity by taking it in the spirit it was meant to be, as praise.

**Warning****: **It is assumed that you've read the disclaimer in the first chapter posted. If you continue to read past this point, understand that this story may contain content some find offensive.

**Notes:** An age listing for the various characters for this story may be found in the disclaimer.

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***PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO POST A REVIEW***

(After you read the chapter of course.)

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**Chapter Four**

– **Meeting The Residents –**

– **Part II –**

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Figuring to put his best foot forward Ranma decided to start out the conversation. "What the hell was with hitting me like that?" He yelled. "I told you I just came to see my Grandmother who owns this inn and instead I get belted by a pair of overbearing self-righteous tomboys!"

Ok, maybe not his best foot.

"Inn? Tomboy?", said girl ground out, eyes narrowing in righteous fury. "This isn't an inn you baka, this is an all girl's dormitory!" Their self-appointed spokeswoman yelled, pointing at the sign next to the door where there for all to see was a plaque with the words 'Hinata Inn, All Girls Dormitory' inscribed upon it.

Ranma blinked, "This…is… an all girl's dormitory?"

"Yes you baka!" Naru folded her arms over her chest, fuming at the male before her. "And if you're going to try to make up a lie you could do better than claiming your grandmother owns the place, or that it's an inn!"

Smiling nastily Naru took a snipe at him, "Admit it; you're just a perverted peeping tom trying to get a cheap thrill by spying on innocent girls in the bath!"

Her snipe was lost on Ranma, who was staring up at the sky pleading with the heavens. "You've gotta be kidding me…"

"I'm afraid not," a deep yet feminine voice replied off to the groups left towards the stairs.

Being that Ranma was the only one close enough to hear the softly spoke words Ranma turned his head to see a brown-haired woman wearing an apron standing at the top of the steps. In her mouth hung a half-finished cigarette beyond which it was easy to see the playful smirk on her lips. A smirk clearly the result of Ranma's current physical state; the being the youth facing down several clearly irate females while dressed in only a towel which had clearly seen better days. He knew there was something familiar about her but no matter how hard he wracked his brain nothing fell into place.

"You have a lot of guts trying to sneak into this dormitory pervert. Give me one good reason why we shouldn't kick your ass and turn you over to the police!" He heard the antennae'd girl shout at him from her side of the crater.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you pervert!" Naru demanded stepping closer to Ranma who was still trying to figure out why the newcomer was so familiar.

"Perhaps this male needs another lesson in manners Naru-sempai; his kind so rarely gain knowledge of anything quickly that does not involve some form of perversion," the girl with the sword said while moving to Naru's side.

Any action the two might have taken towards Ranma was put on the backburner when the older woman standing at the stairs dashed forward towards him, moving fast enough that if Ranma hadn't had his attention on her he was sure she would've caught him completely off guard. Since he wasn't Ranma ducked under the punch she'd thrown towards his face with a small hop backwards which also allowed him to avoid the follow-up sweep kick. With her two opening attacks avoided the woman continued to press seeking to keep Ranma on the defensive.

'_It's like I know what attack she is going to throw next._' Ranma thought as he dodged several more strikes, all of which seemed eerily familiar. '_If I'm right she'll try a punch towards my sternum, followed by a low-kick and then an elbow smash._'

True to his prediction, his opponent struck exactly how he'd expected. A pleased smile formed on her lips as she picked up the pace of her assault, breaking away from the pattern he'd been able to detect before. When Ranma continued to avoid her attacks with the same ease her smile turn to a bit of a frown, one that was accompanied by a small amount of confusion appearing in her eyes as he continued to keep up his evasions, his pace moving to match hers.

A few more kicks and punches and the way she was fighting finally clicked a memory for Ranma, '_She was doing a beginner's kata from the Urashima style and now she's doing an advanced one that's why it seemed so familiar._'

'_Definitely going to have to integrate what I know of this style into mine when I get to training,_' Ranma ignored the pain he was feeling in his back and kept up the pace of the fight, a smirk of his own forming on his lips as he noticed her confusion. '_And from the looks of things she wasn't expecting me to be as good as I am… interesting._'

*Dodge*

*Smirk*

*Duck*

*Infuriating Smirk*

No Ranma didn't even try to keep his enjoyment at the woman's obvious growing frustration at being unable to tag him while not once trying to strike back despite seeing several openings in her defense from time to time; his hands instead stayed holding his towel firmly in place. He in fact was deriving no small amount of enjoyment out of observing the Urashima style first hand rather than relying on some half-forgotten memories he'd been left with.

To the five girls watching the conflict it was nothing short out astounding as well as mildly worrisome as each had on occasional seen Haruka give a male customer, ones who'd gotten a tad bit out of hand at the tea shop, a thump or two. Even so not a one had any clue she was capable of what they were witnessing and of them only one truly understood the level of skill being displayed by the two combatants.

'_By the spirits - this male appears to be very skilled in the arts!_' Motoko thought, worry creeping into her mind concerning her ability to successfully protect the girls from this interloper should he turn on them instead of running away as he had been. '_Amazing… __he just continues to evade Haruka-sans strikes by the slimmest of margins with seemingly no effort…_'

'_This males defense is strong but if I jump in to help Haruka-san the two of us should easily subdue the lecherous male._' Motoko firmed her grasp upon her blade in preparation. '_I need only be ready for when the moment arises._'

Her legs being used as a hiding place for the youngest of the girls Kitsune's eyes remained to Ranma's muscular form as he bounced around dodging Haruka's attacks. She licked her dry lips unconsciously secretly hoping that this boy's towel might come loose. '_Wow… I knew this guy had a nice body when he was layin' on me back in the changin' room, but ta see him in motion…_'

At seeing Ranma before a perfect split she released a low whistle of appreciation at his limberness causing the other girls to look at her strangely for a moment, not that she saw or cared for she had other things on her mind such as; '_I wonder who he is?_' '_I wonder if I can get his number?_' and her most predominant thought of '_Damn it why won't that towel come off!_'.

To her left Naru stood watching for a moment when she could jump in just as Motoko was. '_Just give me an opening and I'll send that pervert on a one-way trip to Honshu! Sneak into the bath and seeing me naked will he…_'

Kaolla Su was delighted beyond belief. She'd seen this unknown male survive a fall from an incredible height creating a crater she would've been proud to have made with any of her toys only to get up to start a karate match with Haruka! The hyperactive teenage-genius's mind took in Ranma's every movement in hopes that he would stick around so that she could play with him later. Already several designs were thought up and discarded as she watched him seemingly defy physics in his efforts to avoid being struck. Oh yes, Kaolla Su looked forward to playtime with the leaping grasshopper of a male locked in combat before her.

Haruka on the other hand was not her playtime with Ranma as much as she thought she would as no matter how hard she tried to break his defenses nothing seemed to work. Her most recent attack was a sweeping kick her wily nephew jumped clear of to land in a crouched defensive side-stance clearly waiting to see what try next.

Their separation was apparently exactly the opportunity the two more combat inclined females had been waiting for they rushed towards the sole male present, each swinging their chosen weapons of the sword and fist hoping to hit the towel-clad male while they had the chance of doing so without getting in Haruka's way. It was much to their surprise when they found themselves flipping head over tails instead of hitting their target especially since it had been Haruka who'd sent them sprawling to their butts on the ground after which their elder took a few steps placing herself between the group of girls and the boy behind her.

"And just **why** did you two just try to interrupt us? Hurmm?" A clearly displeased Haruka inquired of the pair who had intended to jump her nephew.

"We were…" "He was…"

"Can it girls!" Haruka pulled out a cigarette to replace the one she'd lost while trying to tag Ranma and lit it up. "Neither of you should've tried to interfere in my spars you got it!"

"Now." The eldest female present said in a more relaxed tone as she turned to regard Ranma with a chuckle. "Not that I imagine all of the girls here mind the view but I gotta ask why you're dressed in only a towel?"

"Well um… you see," Ranma replied sheepishly, relaxing from his obvious defensive stance seeing as the fight was over.

"He's a peeping tom that's what he's doing here! That pervert snuck into the baths so he could see me… I mean us naked!" Claimed a clearly irate Naru from where she sat on the ground rubbing her bottom.

"What! You walked in on… me?" Ranma's words would've had a greater impact if he hadn't of changed his response from a yell to a question. Though the question was more about why he always seemed to be repeating the same thing with girls. They walk into the bath on him; yet he's the one getting blamed.

Ranma grabbed his nose and shook his head as he muttered, "This can't be happening… not again… it… it just can't. No way is my life this screwed up." The only one close enough to hear his words was his aunt who gave him a brief quizzical look.

"He even showed his…" Su didn't get to finish what she was saying due to Kitsune's hand being placed firmly over her mouth.

"Let's just say he gave us somethin' ta juice up our dreams," Kitsune said with a rather lustful smile, or rather a very brief lustful smile that she made sure at least Ranma caught sight of.

"**Kitsune!**" Naru and Motoko, who had seen the look as well, exclaimed while Shinobu showed her understanding of what Kitsune meant by letting out a tiny "eep" as her face colored.

"Hey! It's not like I did it on purpose!" Ranma readjusted his towel to ensuring his modesty with one hand, the other he pointed in Naru's direction. "If it hadn't of been for little miss violent there walking in on me in the bath wanting to know if her chest had gotten bigger before going all hormonal on me without givin' me a chance to explain things none of this would've happened."

Motoko surged to her feet her hands gripping her sword tightly as she sought a way to strike at Ranma past Haruka without using any of families more esoteric techniques. "You dare try to shift the responsibility of your lecherous intentions upon Naru Senpai?"

Naru matched her compatriot's actions, cracking the knuckles of one hand in the other. "I'll show you violent you pervert!" Naru followed her companion's actions, getting to her feet.

Ranma snorted dismissively at their posturing, "Stuff it tomboy! The only one of us that tried to end this was me! But would any of you listen? Noooo! You just go off charging after me so of course I ran! Would wouldn't from a bunch of crazed chicks acting like some kind of head hunting party!"

"Chicks?" Motoko and Naru yelled at the same time.

"What's a chick? Is it tasty?" Was heard from Su who had managed to get Kitsune's hand off her mouth.

"Yeah! Chicks! You deaf as well as insane?"

A single glare directed their way from Haruka was enough to forestall either girl from making good on their intentions; however it had little effect in preventing Motoko from further voicing her opinion on the matter.

"Haruka-san, this… pervert… accosted Kitsune and Naru senpai's in the baths after which he displayed himself inappropriately to more than a few us." her gaze shifted to the blushing Shinobu who was trying to look as small as she could from her hiding place behind Kitsune "This male should be punished for his crimes after which he should be handed over to the authorities."

"He even had the gall to try to steal some of our panties!" Naru added.

Ranma's face reddened slightly as he let out a brief chuckle, one which earned him a glare from the two girls accusing him. Ignoring the looks directed his way he sidled over to Kitsune which had them ready to leap to the girl's defense had Haruka not held them back with a hand; she for one was interested in seeing what her young nephew was doing. The three watched him whisper something into Kitsune's ear while handing something black he'd pulled out from beneath the edge of his towel. Whatever it was left Kitsune with a blush on her face as she quickly stiffed whatever it was into pocket as Ranma moved backed to where he'd been standing.

"He said something perverted didn't he!" Naru yelled, her angry glare at Ranma intensifying, "And what did he give you?"

"It's none of your business tomboy so but out!" Ranma shot back "Just clearing up a misunderstanding." he then favored a still blushing Kitsune with a smile. "I hope."

"Yeah sugar. We're good."

Haruka took a puff on her cancer stick then shook her head, "Only you Ranma."

After a collective blink from the girls, Kitsune spoke, "Wait. You know this hunk?"

Pulling the cigarette away from her lips Haruka gave them a grin, "Sure. He's my nephew."

"**Nephew!**" came the shocked response from the assembled girls.

Ranma looked the older woman over as if seeing her for the first time, an action that set both Motoko and Naru's teeth grinding for in their minds he was appraising his aunt in some sick perverted way instead of comparing her to his memory of the woman.

'_Wow. Haruka eh. She doesn't look much like she did when I last saw her. She was kinda dumpy back then._' Ranma thought while looking at the woman he now knew to be his relative. '_Well, least I got some family here._' Another thought occurred to him, one that almost made him frown. '_Just hope she ain't like my mom in this life._'

He then looked at the girls and sighed, '_If these girls live here I can see the old geezer has saddled me with girl trouble right from the start. Heck I've got a Kuno-wannabe, an Akane-tomboy, and if the looks I'm getting from the older girl prove true I've gone a Nabiki and a Shampoo all rolled into one!_' he then glanced at the two younger ones. '_Not sure where they would fit in. Guess I'll find out though since I can't leave and can't get rid of them._'

"Yes, my nephew." Haruka answered before turning towards him. "So, just what brings you by Ranma? What's it been, seven years? Eight?"

"Yeah, something like that." Ranma then thumbed towards Motoko and Naru. "And like I tried to tell the psychotic duo there I'm here ta see Granny Hina."

In response Naru took a threatening step forward growling.

Haruka put up a hand to forestall any further hostilities while thinking '_Ranma Ranma Ranma, still not very good at interacting with people. Why your mother or mine let you go on those trips with that man still eludes me. You would've been better off just learning our family art not that Anything Goes crap._'

"Ranma, why don't you go inside and get dressed then meet us in the living room and we'll try to discuss this like adults. You know, without the insults."

Ranma shrugged, starting towards the entrance. "Whatever ya want Auntie," earning him a momentary glare from Haruka. "I'll be civil if the hormone squad will."

Naru voiced her opinion on allowing Ranma to go back into the inn, even if it was only to get his clothes. "**HE CAN'T GO IN THERE!****"**

"And why not?" Haruka asked.

"Because Nephew or not he's still a male and a pervert. Males are not allowed in an all girls dorm and even if he was we can't just let him go walking around without supervision. Who knows what kinda of perverted things he'll try if we leave him alone for even a minute!"

"Fine, come with me." Ranma shot back.

"And have you try to grab my breasts again? No way you pervert!"

Ranma turned to face Naru directly, a snarl on his lips. "Let's set the record straight, again. I'm not the one who walked in on anyone **you are**. Secondly, I never tried to grab anything on you ya damn tomboy nor would I want to! It was you who rubbed them all over my back asking me if those things had gotten any bigger like they were a pair or ripening melons or something!"

For a brief moment he oh so wanted a glass of cold water so he could show Naru just how a girl should be built. Instead he turned and headed towards the door. "I'm going to get my clothes." When he reached the doorway a way to put Miss attitude in her place came to him, "Oh, by the way don't think I've forgotten who fondled who in the hot spring little miss grabby 'cause it sure wasn't me with my hands fishing between someone's legs."

Naru did a pretty good impersonation of a statue in response, if a statue could flush in embarrassment that is.

While most of the girls blushed and looked away, not Su she just looked confused, Kitsune gave her friend a knowing grin, "Oh really… Seems like you and me are gonna have to talk later girlfriend,"

Naru turned even redder, her sputtering denials doing nothing convince anyone of her innocence.

Coughing into her hand Motoko hurriedly moved to the doorway through which Ranma had already entered the inn, "I shall accompany him to ensure he does not enter a room he should not."

Her attempt at departure was thwarted by Haruka who joined her at the doorway, "That won't be needed Motoko, I'm sure Ranma can find where he left his clothes on his own and I want to have a little chat with everyone before my nephew comes down so everyone pile into the main room."

Reluctantly Motoko nodded, following Haruka into the inn a few moments later along with the others.

**ooO** Upstairs With Ranma **Ooo**

After entering the inn Ranma worked his way through the inn gathering up his clothes from the changing room to the hot springs before going up the backstairs to his grandmother's room where he pulled out some clean clothes to start getting dressed.

'_Damn it old man you did this to me on purpose! Droppin' me into the middle of a bunch of crazy girls that I can't get rid of if I ever want to leave… it's not human! Why not toss me into a pit with ca…cats instead,_' Ranma shivered at the idea. '_Ok. Not the pit of felines but ya could've found some other way to make my life miserable that didn't involve a pair of violent tomboys?_'

Tugging on a pair of pants Ranma noticed the time on the clock that had fallen out of his bag while he'd taken out his clothes. '_Damn, I haven't even been here __four hours and I've already been in two fights, been chased by five girls, had a violent tomboy walk in on me in the bath, been punted ta the sky, and managed ta plant my face in a girls bosoms. It's like I never left Nerima!_'

"What's next gramps?" Ranma asked the air while selecting a shirt to put on. "Rivals coming for my head? A crazy school teacher? Maybe a few fiancée's?"

"We'll bring it on!" A now dressed Ranma challenged his non-present benefactor started looking through the travel bag he'd had in his stuff-space instead. "'Cause I'm not gonna lose!"

'_Ok, there's gotta be something in here I can use to get them to let me stay if not maybe just pitchin' a tent on the mountain would be good enough for the old man's requirements. Bah, who am I kiddin', he said I have to live in this place if I hope to get home._' Finding nothing he could see would help Ranma dropped his butt on to a stair and sat. "I hate my life."

A few seconds later he could hear the sound of female voices yelling, '_No doubt that's about me._' He then sighed. '_I __guess the first thing I ought to do is apologize to those girls, not that this is my fault but ain't no way are they gonna accept it's theirs. Women never do._'

Ranma took a deep breath and firmed his prior resolve to not lose, "I can do this." then headed down to join the meeting that would no doubt decide his residency one way or the other.

**ooOOoo**

Haruka returned to the living room where the rest of the girls awaited both her and her nephew. She'd left them alone for a moment so to make a quick phone call to her sister, Nodoka.

For her own reasons, Haruka had kept tabs on her nephew as best as she could over since her mother had told her about the horror of Jusenkyo. She had even attempted to see him several times since he'd been cursed but her sister politely refused any visitors for her son from her family stating that she and her boy needed no charity and they would get through it on their own.

The brief phone conversation with her sister confirmed to Haruka that Nodoka was as batty as ever. She'd learned that Ranma's second failure at entering Tokyo University, an endeavor Nodoka whole-heartedly supported no doubt due to the prestige it would bring for having a son attending such a prestigious university, had been the catalyst for Ranma's appearance at the inn. Much to Haruka's disbelief her sister had even proudly admitted her reasons for kicking her son out were for his own good and that she should have done so sooner for if he was out in the world on his own she had no doubt Ranma would become more of a man than he ever would by hiding in his room avoiding others discovering his 'unmanly' curse.

Knowing her sister as well as Haruka did, she understood the underlying reasons behind her sister's actions. She knew that while Nodoka tried to understand his reluctance to meet people, because most treated him like a freak when they discovered his curse, and be as supportive of him and his predicament as she could, Ranma's remaining locked away in his room was doing nothing to get her the grandchildren she so desperately wanted.

Haruka found her sister was rather upset to discover Ranma had gone to other relatives seeking assistance when he was supposed to be learning to stand on his own. Her loony sister almost immediately demanded Haruka not only refuse Ranma any assistance but tell him she forbade him from seeking assistance from their mother by asking to stay at the Hinata Inn.

When Haruka informed her it wouldn't really be a problem as the inn had become an all girls dorm Nodoka did a one-eighty. After a few questions related to the ages of the girls staying at the inn and their level of attractiveness Nodoka suddenly considered it a matter of family honor Ranma stay at the inn as he needed to have a stable place from which to begin his path into manhood and as family his grandmother should be willing to provide it.

Haruka couldn't help but wonder if their mother had dropped Nodoka on her head, tossed her down a flight of stairs, or maybe planted her sister in front of the television with it on the playboy channel instead of children's shows when she was younger. The entire conversation actually made her happy Ranma had left her sisters care she only wished it had been done sooner as had happened with Kanako.

'_As much as I don't like the girl I'm glad mom took Kanako in. I can only imagine what she'd be like if she'd stayed with my nutty sister!_' Haruka sighed heavily. '_I'm just as glad mom took Kanako with her on her trip. Having that obsessed teen here would've made things even worse. Of course there was no way mom could've convinced the brat to stay home once she learned the whole reason for the damn trip was to __a cure for Ranma's curse._'

Looking up in the direction of the managers room Haruka smiled. '_Well, seems Ranma can't be mad at mom anymore since he came to see her. That's a good sign. I remember how devastated he was when she stopped training him in the art. She'd just become too busy with running the inn, taking care of Kanako, and getting the girls settled in._ _And after that things just keep popping up preventing her from doing more than sending him a birthday or holiday card._'

'_It also didn't help that sis moved and kept her address from the rest of the family. I only have her cell-phone number because she'd been willing to give that out in order to be informed of anything important she might need to know._'

'_Can't say I feel bad for her that she'd been the one to swallow her pride and be the first one to break the family silence by asking mom for help with getting rid of Genma but she could've been more grateful by letting us see him._' Haruka thought with disgust.

'_Wonder how he's adapted to that curse of his. I can't imagine what it must be like for him especially having that manly obsessed sister of mine as a mother never mind all that crap Genma was always spouting about how girls are weak. With all that in his head to suddenly to find yourself becoming a girl with only a splash of water must've been horrifying._'

She a tiny smile crossed her lips, '_None of that matters for the moment, he's here now and I'll get the chance to know my nephew again besides he seems to be ok. A little bitter from what I could see but not nearly as messed up as I would've thought. But then again he has had four years to get used to it._'

'_One thing does puzzle me though._' Haruka took another drag on her ever-present cancer stick. '_If he spent the last four years shutting himself away from people like Nodoka said he has how did he become so good at the arts?_'

She immediately dismissed it as being Genma's fault, '_No way that fat tub of lard taught Ranma to be that good. He's not that good._'

Haruka leaned against the doorframe as she mulled things over. '_Ranma shouldn't have been able to defend against that last round of attacks, yet he did and probably could've taken a lot more if the girl's hadn't of tried to get involved._'

Hearing the girls raised voices reminded her that she had a few things to discuss with them before Ranma came down so she gathered her thoughts and headed into the room to join the girls and from the look on Naru and Motoko's faces it was clear they'd rather be upstairs hounding Ranma's every step.

'_Looks like I've got my work cut out for me with those two in convincing them to allow Ranma to stay without laying down the law of just who runs the place. I'd rather not be so heavy handed if I can void it but I'm not going to close out the option. One thing I do know is if I let this chance slip through my fingers I'll never hear the end of it from mom. She's wanted to see Ranma back here for years._'

'_Then there's the matter of __his curse, from what mom's told me about it water likes to seek out cursed victims at the worst possible moment so hiding his curse won't last for very long._'

'_Naru and Motoko are going to looooove him being able to be a girl with just a glass of water._' Haruka growled unintentionally while glaring at the girls in question as she moved to join them leaving them wondering what they'd done to deserve such a vehement look.

'_Motoko would no doubt label him as vile perversion of nature and Naru would no doubt say something stupid like he'd probably gotten cursed on purpose just so he could practice his perversions on himself, neither of which would endear them to him or me for that matter. One thing is for sure those girls really have some problems which only having a male around to prove them wrong will correct… and it looks like Ranma might end up being that male. I just hope they don't kill each other in the process._'

'_I can't even use the fact he's a Tokyo U. student in his favor since he's failed to get in twice now._'Haruka lamented as she dropped into her chosen seat for the coming discussion. '_Maybe I should offer to let him use a room at the Tea House instead. Sure I'd have to do a little cleaning up but it's for family._'

To her annoyance once she'd taken her seat Naru stood up to begin pacing back and forth.

"Naru, sit down please." Haruka suggested, pointing towards the couch in which she wanted the girl to place herself.

"How can you expect me to sit when that perv…"

"Naru… **sit**," Haruka repeated, the edge in her voice making it clear that while she'd been polite the first time, it never was a request.

Naru flopped down on the couch in a meek show of defiance.

"Now, I'd like one of you to tell me what happened here."

Naru opened her mouth to speak.

"Not you Naru," Haruka said, pausing just long enough for Motoko to volunteer only to cut the kendo girl off. "Kitsune if you'd please?"

Shrugging, Kitsune told the story from her point of view. Though she was interrupted a few times by Naru's grumbling or Motoko's attempts to correct her on some of the finer details, Haruka managed to get what she felt was a good picture of the events which had taken place.

"So, let me get this straight," Haruka gestured towards the now seated girl, "Naru found him in the hot springs and a chase ensued from there ending with Ranma falling off the roof thus creating that crater outside in the lawn?"

"Well there's a bit mor' ta it than that but yeah, that's kinda what happened," Kitsune drawled out.

"I see," Haruka nodded slightly. "I suppose I should tell you a bit about my nephew."

"And **why** would **we** want to know **anything** about that **pervert**?" Naru demanded. "I've had quite enough of him for one lifetime and if I had my way I'd never had to lay eyes on him again!"

"From what he said it wasn't yer hands that ya laid on him Naru and I fer one wouldn't mind seein' a bit more of what ya had a chance ta," Kitsune said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively while Naru blushed.

"I… that's not what I meant and you know it Kitsune!"

One eyebrow arched upward Haruka addressed Naru's declaration, "That 'pervert' as you call him is my nephew, and Granny Hina's **only** grandson." Thinking about it for a moment she decided to add a bit more to her statement, "And trust me, if there is one thing I am sure of it's that Ranma is no pervert."

Naru and Motoko were obviously about to voice their opinions on that matter when a polite cough from the direction of the stairs forestalled them as all eyes turned towards the source of the noise. There, standing at the bottom of the stairs was Ranma; he was dressed in a loose white silk shirt held closed by tangs rather than buttons. In contrast his blue pants were much tighter on his body, showing off his lower body quite well while flaring around the legs and tightening up again at the ankles. Overall he looked quite handsome.

For Naru's part the fire in her eyes over the desire to pound him into paste was at odds with the blush on her cheeks, one that was mirrored on the face of her fellow pervert basher Motoko who instead of staring at him turned her head clearly showing her distaste for his presence.

As to Shinobu, the young teen looked at him wide-eyed for a moment before until she found her feet to be of incredible interest.

Of all the looks directed his way only two disturbed him; those of Kitsune and Su. Ranma recalled seeing the same look on Su's face as he had when he'd seen his own expression in a mirror behind an all you could eat buffet. Furthermore the clear excitement he could see shining through her eyes reminded him of a child looking at the world's best toy through a shopping glass window, one you just knew she was going to pester her parents to buy her until she got it.

At seeing Kitsune's brief but openly lustful stare Ranma nearly turned around and ran back up the stairs. He'd been given less predatory looks from Shampoo or Kodachi.

"Um…I'd… um… look, I'd like to try to start this off right so… about earlier. I know I shouldn't have been in the hot springs. I honestly didn't know granny had made the inn into an all girls dorm. So… look… I'm sorry about what happened 'n I hope you accept my apology," Ranma finished his stuttered attempt at an apology with a slight bow.

"I'm sure its appreciated Ranma," Haruka smiled at the young man. "Why don't you come in and take a seat." With a wave of her hand she gestured towards her side of the table and the couch she was sitting on.

Giving a slight nod Ranma tried to make his away towards where his aunt wished only to catch his foot on the rug which sent him spilling over the arm of the couch he'd been trying to work past.

At the last moment he tried to catch his balance with his arms only to have one of them give way as he fell – taking whatever he'd managed to grab onto down with him.

When the moment of surprise at losing his balance passed, Ranma found himself staring into what looked like brown denim. Lifting his head up he groaned – the reason for this was his face had been planted right between the Kitsune's thighs and one of his hands was firmly placed on her left breast.

He could see her smirking at him and pointing at something up past his head. Turning so he could get a look at what she was pointing to Ranma blanched.

'_Oh shi…_' was all Ranma managed to think as he heard the cry of female fury, a fist coming for his face, one that sought not only retribution for his current position but for having pulled her skirt down during his fall. When it struck Naru's first carried enough strength behind it to send Ranma out the rear wall of the inn and off into the distance leaving behind a sizeable hole in the wall. Fortunately for Kitsune Ranma had let go of what he'd been holding right before the blow struck him or she might've joined him on his second flight from the Hinata Dorms courtesy of her sometimes volatile friend.

When the commotion had died down Naru turned angrily to Haruka while gesturing towards the hole in the wall through which Ranma had gone. "**Not a pervert you said?** What do you call deliberately pulling down my skirt or groping poor Kitsune!"

Rubbing the bridge of her nose Haruka responded, "He tripped Naru."

"Tripped? **Tripped?**" Naru growled.

"Yes, tripped."

Kitsune who'd been in a good position to see what happened as she'd been happily gazing at Ranma as he made his way around the cough in hopes of getting a look at his backside spoke up, "Hate to tell ya sugar but Haruka's got it right - he tripped on that lip in the rug. Ya know, the one you were supposed to tape down last week."

"I was supposed to tape down! That was your job Kitsune. You said you'd take care of it when we traded for changing the light bulbs in the bathroom," Naru fumed embarrassedly.

Kitsune waggled a finger at her friend, "No sense tryin' ta shift the blame here Naru. If you'd fixed the rug like ya were supposed to than the poor boy wouldn't have tripped."

"Well, he shouldn't have even been here! A male shouldn't be in an all girls dorm!" the honey haired girl shot back.

"So ya'll are sayin' that if I met a nice guy I shouldn't bring 'em round to meet'cha?"

"**Yes**! I mean no… grrrr. You know that's not what I said Kitsune now stop trying to put words in my mouth."

As their argument continued in this manner Haruka shook her head as she made her way out of the room leaving them to their tiff. Reaching the doorway to the kitchen she looked back and gestured for Motoko to follow.

Once the two had entered the kitchen, the door closing behind them, Haruka spoke. "Look, Ranma is no doubt going to head back this way after he lands wherever Naru sent him. When he does, I want one of you to bring him to me at the tea shop. Tell him I want to talk to him before he goes anywhere."

Motoko began to express her unwillingness to deal with a male. "I do not see why I need to be the one to…"

"This isn't a request Motoko," Haruka cut her off harshly. "You **will** see to it that my nephew knows to come see me should he return to the inn. **Understood**?"

"If… if that is what you wish Haruka-san," Motoko replied with a slight nod.

"Good. Oh, and make sure Naru doesn't send him flying again ok?"

"I shall… try." Motoko said, though it was obvious to Haruka her heart was not in her intentions.

Rolling her eyes at a yell coming from the front room Haruka let herself out the back. She had another call to make, this time to her mother.

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**Notes**

Well, this is the revised third chapter, hope it feels less rushed. As you can tell this is where the story will start to break off from the normal Love Hina. However, as I said, there will still be parts that shall be easily recognizable as coming from the original work by Ken Akamatsu.

Currently there is no set pairing for this tale, nor do I have one planned. This may change. Unlike my first, story this one is not planned out very far and is mostly being done on whim.

Feel free to leave a review, its appreciated.

I'd also like to thank those who pointed out to me the spelling error's I made in the first version of this tale, such things are always welcomed. I have no beta reader at this time.

Some of you might note that when I listed Ranma Urashima's friends I used one from the Love Hina universe and one from the Ranma One Half, those being Shirai and Hiroshi and not Haitani and Daisuke. This is not an error.

You may also notice that this Ranma is a mixture of canon and fanon. Again, this is deliberate. Remember that this is an alternate universe and I make no illusions that I am capable of meeting the exact way either of the original authors might write this had they collaborated to do so. If you are expecting a strictly canon following story this one is not likely for you.

I would like to thank Dreamingfox for being the beta on this story.

– Modified July 7th, 2011

– Modified August 24th, 2011


	5. Meeting the Residents Part III

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**(Love Hina Arc)**

**Warning****: **It is assumed that you've read the disclaimer in the first chapter posted. If you continue to read past this point, understand that this story may contain content some find offensive.

**!REQUEST FROM THE AUTHOR!**

If while reading this story you happen to find any incomplete or half-finished sentences, spelling errors, grammar in need of correction, or things that just don't make sense, I ask you to feel free to send me a private message so that I might correct them. After all, I am human, thus I make mistakes. I ask for your assistance to be less human. (Private Messages can be sent via my profile.)

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***PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO POST A REVIEW***

(After you read the chapter of course.)

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**Chapter Five**

– **Meeting The Residents –**

– **Part III –**

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It'd been an hour of impatient waiting for the young swordswoman who sat keeping a watchful eye out for Ranma's so she might completed Haruka's request and escorting him to her. She also did this so that she might protect her fellow residents from the depredations of a lowly male. She knew she had to be diligent in her attempts to catch him upon his return for she knew that if Naru saw him before she did Naru would likely try to send him on another trip up the mountain.

She was becoming increasingly apprehensive over the fact Ranma had yet returned as she had several things she wished to have done before night fell never mind how she would be unable to sleep for worry a known lecherous male might attempt to take advantage of one of those she considered her charges while she rested. The fact that this male in question was a skilled combatant only tripled her worry. This she was of the mind to cease her waiting with the intent to strike out up the mountain in hopes of locating him the intention to force his return. It was only her fear they might miss each other that kept her from leaving to do so, but in the end her lack of patience made the decision for her as she rationalized she couldn't remain awake the whole night waiting for this male to return.

With her intentions affirmed, Motoko informed the other's she'd return within two hours using the excuse she was going to go train a bit. Taking the time to inform Kitsune of Haruka's instructions concerning her nephew should he return, the young swordsmaiden set off into the forested mountainside upon which the Hinata Inn lay.

Inwardly Motoko itched to try her hand against the boy she'd seen fight her dorm manager, the warrior within her calling for her to test herself against him if only to prove herself the stronger. That she might get the opportunity to punish him for his perverted actions added to her desire to face him.

An hour later Motoko was still leaping her way through the forest in search of the missing male as she'd seen no sign of him despite her best efforts. At best she knew she could only spend another twenty or so minutes more on her search or risk being late for dinner; something she knew would worry her fellow tenants for she was, as with most things, very attentive to her attendance concerning such matters. If she was going to miss a dinner or be late she would always inform someone of the fact beforehand.

With the idea of using those extra minutes to widen her search while heading back to the inn Motoko turned to do so only to stop when she the sound heard the distinct of someone singing. Such was the beauty of the melodic dulcet tones that the young maiden found herself momentarily entranced. Curious as to whom the owner of the obviously female voice was Motoko quietly but quickly made her way towards where the singing originated discovering that whomever it was appeared to be somewhere in the area of the very stream she would at times meditate under the falls of. In fact, if she was right, both it and the owner of the voice should be beyond the small group of trees not far from where she first the singing.

Parting a few of the bushes which surrounded the area she sought to reach Motoko spied the source of the singing; an unfamiliar red-headed girl who was casually doing the backstroke in the sizable pool of water produced by the cascading waters of the falls a short distance away.

Silently observing the unknown females languid swim it dawned upon Motoko that the female in question was unclothed; a situation that would no doubt be found beyond tempting for the pervert she knew to be stalking these woods. In fact the young swordsmaiden quickly jumped to the assumption that the reason her quarry had not returned was indeed this innocent wood nymph and though she was an interloper on Hinata land it was her duty to protect her from the unwanted attentions of the pervert she sought.

Her path set, eyes diligently searching the woods for any signs of other intruders Motoko stepped into the open while announcing her presence by clearing her throat.

The girl ceased her singing immediately, head turning towards Motoko.

"Oh great… what are **you** doing here?"

Motoko's face remained impassive despite the girl's querulous tone. "Should not I be the one asking that question?"

The girl in the water shrugged, ceasing to swim and instead simply floating in the water on her back apparently having no care she was exposing her assets to the world, let alone a stranger.

"Go away, you're bothering me."

Motoko's eyes narrowed and locked on the girls own, "This is private property. You have no right to be using this stream as your personal bathing area. I suggest you cease immediately and come with me."

"Is the land yours?" came the girl's flippant reply.

"That is not the point, you do not…"

"If the land ain't yours ya got no right ta ask me why I'm here or to tell me ta leave."

"I am a tenant to the dorm that is built upon this land and I have the rights given to me by my status as such to demand get dressed and depart as your actions are extremely improper for one who is intruding upon private property."

"Trust me - I got more right ta be here than you do kendo-girl," Came the red-heads response before she dove under the water leaving the watching girl fuming silently.

A good minute later she resurfaced to stare Motoko in the eyes to ask "Why are you still here?" before they narrowed as she lowered herself a bit under the water hiding her body from view. "Or maybe ya like watching me swim? Is that it?"

Motoko's mouth dropped open, her eyes widening, her cheeks flushing for though she was not unaccustomed to seeing other females in the nude the accusation directed against her came as a shock.

"Could ya stop staring? It's not very polite."

:-:Blink:-: Motoko remained stock still, her mind trying to reboot over what this girl had said to her. :-:Blink:-:

"Sheesh, I can't believe I was right. Pervert." Motoko heard the girl say before vanishing under the water again.

With no one to capture her attention Motoko closed her eyes taking a deep breath to calm herself before re-opening to wait patiently for the girl to surface so she could speak before the girl did.

Once the red-head was in sight Motoko said her peace, "I do not know who you are nor do I care! What I do know is that you do not have permission to swim… unclothed… at this fall. So, if you would kindly get dressed and come with me we can get this all straightened out with the dorm-manager."

The girl in the water continued to swim ignoring Motoko's words, her direction leading her towards the rocks under the falls.

"It would also be wise for you to do so for there is a pervert loose in these woods." Motoko said in a voice she hoped portrayed both her sense of urgency tp protect the girl from said pervert but to hold a clear tone of command that was meant to be followed. "And despite your attitude and flagrant disregard for other people's property I have no wish for harm to befall you due to his presence."

"Only pervert I see here is you," the girl shot back hotly causing Motoko's face to color red in outrage "and I'll leave when I'm done so stop staring and go away."

"I will not depart while there is a chance of you being accosted by the pervert wandering these hills for even if you do not see the danger and you are a trespasser it would be beneath me to abandon you to his depredations!"

"Suit yourself." The red-head answered back as she swam towards the falling waters of the stream, her path clearly leading her towards the many rocks that dotted the smaller pool where the waters fell.

After dragging herself from the waters the red-head hopped spritely from rock to rock only to stop short of reaching the falling waters, there she placed a hand on a hip turning only her head towards the watching kendoka, legs spread just so. Overall a pose that would've been a perverts dream. "You're still starin'."

'_How can this girl be so brazen, has she no shame?_' Motoko thought while watching the girls unabashed display of her body; a display that left her feeling more than a little bit of envy of the red-heads well-toned and curved form.

The red-heads sudden shout of "I said, **stop staring**!" pulled the kendoka from her thoughts with a start. "Sheesh, what are ya inta girls or something?" The red-head asked accusingly before slipping beneath plummeting waters of the falls.

Motoko's eyes widened in shock then thinned into slits of anger, '_**How dare she?**_' Her hand tightened around the hilt of her sword for comfort._ 'Who does she think she is accusing me of such a thing? She is the one strutting without a strip of clothing on in front of a stranger so it is her fault of anyone sees her that way! If she did not wish to be seen by me like that she should have taken my advice and gotten dressed! I should just leave her hear for that pervert to find!_'

Immediately Motoko shook her head, '_No. I must rise above her pettiness and do my duty even if she is a stranger. I will not leave her here to become a victim of a pervert._' She then took a deep calming breath and regained her composure as she stood waiting for the annoying red-head to come out from under the falls. Of course when the girl in question remained in there for far longer than she expected Motoko began to wonder if the girl was ever going to come out.

When something gently impacted with the back of her head the kendoka was rather surprised. Whirling around pulling her blade from her waist Motoko held herself at the ready against whom or what had struck her from behind.

Her guard strengthened when she found her gaze settling upon the young man from earlier sitting on a low tree branch with an infuriating smirk on his face.

"Yo."

"**You**!" Motoko hissed. Her mind was a whirl with worry for how this male would react to the girl's pretense when she finally came out from the falls.

Ranma looked from the girl's bokken to her face, his smile never faltering. "Yup, me." He hoped easily down from the low branch he was on. "Were you expecting someone else?"

Motoko tightened her grip on her weapon, moving from an open strike pose to one that would allow her more maneuverability and options.

Ranma put his hands up in the air showing he meant no harm. "Ya got nothing to worry about from me."

"I require you move away from this location…" Motoko commanded "…and come with me to see Haruka-san."

Ranma shrugged, "Sure thing, just lead the way."

Motoko pointed in the direction she wanted him to go with her sword, "I will not allow a male such as you to get out of my sight so you shall go first. I will instruct you as to the proper path as we go."

"Whatever." Ranma turned and walked in the direction Motoko had indicated with her sheathed sword.

The kendoist was both pleased and disappointed that he acquiesced to her demands so easily, but it was for the best he did so for while she didn't like leaving behind the girl at the falls she felt it better not to expose her to this known letch. She thought about questioning him but that would mean having to talk to him, something she wished to avoid unless necessary.

By the time they'd arrived at the teashop Motoko's patience was wearing thin – the reason for this was that during their trek back Ranma decided to make a game of their walk, one meant to test Motoko's skills. Tossing nuts, twigs, and berries he'd picked up while in the woods over his shoulder he made sure they all went directly towards the girl. The first few struck her before she began to deflect them with her sheathed blade.

First one at a time, then two, then finally three of Ranma's makeshift projectiles would head her way only to be turned aside by her bokken. When Motoko proved adept enough to deflect four at a time Ranma started to bounce his makeshift projectiles off other surfaces and thereby presenting the swordswoman a greater challenge as the projectiles now came at her from various angles.

For his part Ranma enjoyed Motoko's growing frustration even while admiring her stoic refusal to comment on his actions. He for one was sad to see the game end as they walked through the door to the teashop - one with a smile the other with a slight frown - to find the place empty save for Haruka who was sitting on a stool smoking a cigarette.

"I see you found him," the older woman stated.

"Yes, I have brought him as requested." Motoko practically spat out the word him. "I will take my leave now."

"Don't go far Motoko, I'll want to talk to you when I am done with my nephew here."

Ranma was highly amused by the little twitch the younger girls eyebrow gave. "Yes Haruka-san. I shall wait by the bench outside but if you could, please try not to take too long, the others are no doubt beginning to wonder where I am."

Haruka waved Motoko off as she turned her attention to Ranma.

"So what do ya want auntie?" Ranma asked as soon as Motoko was outside.

The thwack on his head due to the fan his aunt now held in her hand was a surprise.

"Call me Haruka."

"Ok, Haruka," Ranma stressed her name. "What was so important you had to send someone to find me and drag me back?"

Haruka raised an eyebrow, "Can't I be worried about my favorite nephew?"

"Only nephew." Ranma corrected; his voice neutral.

For her part Haruka couldn't be sure if he was teasing her or actually upset. She found herself wondering what had happened to the normally carefree and forgiving Ranma she remembered.

"That doesn't change how I feel about you."

Ranma shrugged.

"Why don't you have a seat, I'll get us some tea."

Ranma shrugged again. "If you're making the tea in hopes I might be in a better mood after drinking it you might as well forget about it Haruka," again he stressed her name in a way she didn't much care for. "My moods not likely to change for a while. Say like maybe in a year or two."

Haruka blinked as the comment about it taking a year or two had obviously been said in jest from what she could tell of his tone.

"I think I'll risk it anyway. Besides, I want a cup myself." She got up and moved behind the counter. "You still like your tea just above room temperature right?"

"I'll take it as is," Came Ranma's curt reply.

Not one to let things get to her, Haruka quickly finished up the two cups then carried them over to the table closest to where Ranma stood after moving towards the back of the tea shop – the table in question happened to be a seat with a good view of woods to the side of the teahouse.

Taking her obvious hint Ranma joined her at the table. After taking a sip of the tea, he spoke, sincerity obvious in his voice. "Wow. You make a good tea aun…" Ranma saw her hand flex and smirked. "…Haruka."

"Thanks, I'm glad you like it."

"Didn't you used to make mine with mud though?" He asked with a grin, a childhood memory from this Ranma's life making itself known.

Haruka chuckled, "I believe it was sand."

A moment of comfortable silence passed between the two as they enjoyed the tea and the pleasant scenery of the evening sun over the trees outside.

"So what did ya want to know Haruka?"

"Ok Ranma, you want to get to the point, I can respect that." The elder woman placed her cup down on the table and regarded him. "As glad as I am to see you again I have to wonder why now."

"Came to see Granny – mom sorta kicked me out and I worried about finding a place to stay when I remembered she had the inn and figured there were plenty of rooms and that she would let me stay in one for a bit 'til I find a place of my own. But it looks like that's a bust though, with it being an all girls dorm now."

"I figured after that violent tomboy knocked me half-way up the mountain I'd just camp out for a bit. Damn bug-haired chick sent me flying right into a stream above some falls."

Haruka couldn't hold back a chuckle. "That bug-haired girl was Nara Narusegawa, one of the residents of the dorm. In her defense you did pull down her skirt."

Ranma grumbled incoherently while blushing – all Haruka could make out was him saying she had nothing he wanted to see anyway. Or was it nothing he hadn't seen already.

"So when you landed did you…"

"Yeah."

Haruka cocked her head to the side. "So no luck finding a cure for your curse yet."

"Nope, still not cured." Ranma answered then asked "So what's the kendo-girl's name?"

"Her name is Motoko Aoyama, Ranma."

He nodded, "I think I'll stick with Tomboy and Keno-girl for now."

"You could at least use their names Ranma."

"Maybe, but it's more fun to make miss nosy angry by saying it wrong."

"Still. You should be more respectful of other people."

"I will when they do the same. Have you heard any of them use my name to my face instead of pervert or male? You gotta give respect to get it."

"By that token shouldn't you take your own advice Ranma?"

"Well, they started it."

Haruka rolled her eyes, "I know you were raised better than that Ranma. What's changed you so much?"

Ranma held up a hand. "If that's supposed to get me to start telling you all about my life just forget it. You may be my aunt..." Ranma paused to see if the woman would try to smack him, when she didn't he went on. "…but we ain't seen each other in over five years 'n I'm not the type to blab my life to someone I don't know."

"Were family."

"So?" he shot back. "pops is family and I trusted him for many years of my life 'n look at how well that turned out."

Haruka sighed softly, "Ranma…"

He cut her off, "You can save whatever you were gonna say 'cause I've probably heard before 'n you'd just be wastin' your breath. Besides, I can't say I'm sorry pops ain't a part of my life anymore. I'm also not that sorry mom kicked me out being honest."

At first Haruka's face showed her displeasure at having him interrupt her but after listening to him she could understand where he was coming from.

"Look, I kinda like the idea that you want to get to know me again," He put one of his hands on hers on the table to give it a gentle squeeze. "But it's gotta come at my pace not at anyone else's 'cause being family doesn't mean as much to me as it used too. I mean look at the examples I got."

"I got a pop's who used me as goods to be sold and haggled off, always for a bad price. Then I got a grandmother who abandoned me to let me end up being cursed, and don't try to convince me otherwise cause that's how I see it."

Haruka, who had been about to defend her mother, nodded and let him go on.

"I got a mother who kicked me out of the only home I've known because I don't meet her standards of manly, something that I think more than ninety nine percent of the world wouldn't meet despite their best attempts as she'd always find something else to say didn't match her expectations."

"Then there's you. You're kinda somewhere in the middle. You didn't abandon me so much as move on with your own life when that whole thing between Granny and mom took place and she abandoned me to the two of them just when I could've used her the most."

"Ranma, you're not being fair to your grandmother. She didn't have…"

"Like I said, you think what you want I'll think what I do. Now all that aside I know the old coot still loves me 'cause if she didn't she never would've gone after me all the times she did or have invited me to come here." Ranma said even as he thought about his grandmothers lack of foresight in telling him that she'd change the place into an all girls dormitory when she'd invited him to visit never mind the fact she seemed to be conspicuously absent. "Speaking of the old bat, where is she?"

"She's been gone for over a year now Ranma."

"Gone? Gone where?"

"She left on a world Hot Spring tour or something like that. She was rather vaugue with the details."

"Great, just great. Then why the heck did she invite me here!"

"I don't know but she usually calls once a week to update me on her welfare. She's supposed to call tomorrow in fact."

Ranma sighed and dropped his head to the table with a :-:thunk:-:

"Look at it this way. It gives us a chance to get to know each other at least."

"Sure, why not, not like I have anything else to do besides figuring out where the heck I am gonna stay for the night but I gotta tell you if you want to get to know me it's gonna have to be a give 'n take Haruka. I'll talk with you about little things but don't expect me to open up and pour my heart out as I don't give my trust or my respect easily, it has to be earned and I can tell you they ain't gonna be earned over night."

Haruka's emotions warred between irritation and amazement with how her nephew spoke to her. She both heard a challenge and an offer in his words along with the clear indication he doubted her ability to earn them as he clearly had her pegged into the same category as his mother and father despite his previous words of not holding anything against her. The only thing holding her back from letting out her irritation was that she knew that if she went off on him for his attitude it would do neither of them any good so she instead schooled her emotions before she spoke.

"I'd like the chance to earn them both Ranma."

She returned the small smile that blossomed on her nephews face.

"I'd like that Haruka." His expression then soured. "But if you expect me to extend the same thing to those girls up there well you can just forget it. I mean how can I trust any of them when one of them doesn't even have the courtesy to not spy on the two of us."

Sound of scrambling coming from outside the window had Haruka standing up and looking out in time to see the white of Motoko's hakama disappearing around the corner.

Sitting back down Haruka looked at Ranma who was taking another sip of his tea. "How did you know she was there?"

"I didn't."

"Then how…"

"If you'd been through even a fraction of the crap I've been through you'd learn to expect it as I have."

Haruka chuckled once, "I don't think she'll be waiting to talk to me when were done like I'd asked now. No matter, I'll just catch up with her later." He face turned pensive. "Do you think she overheard us talking about your curse?"

"Probably. But I don't think we actually said what it was not that it matters since there's no way I'm gonna be allowed back into the inn after what happened in the hot springs."

Ranma set down his now empty cup, "It's been good talking to you Haruka and I'll do my best to keep in touch as I can."

"Keep in touch? Are you leaving after having just got here? What about talking with Granny tomorrow?"

"Figured I'd pitch a tent up on the mountain 'n just come down to spend the day here until granny calls. That's if it's ok with you?" Ranma pulled a thermos out of his stuff space and planted in on the table between them, "I used up all the hot water in it to change back after ending up in the stream. Don't suppose I could refill it before I leave?"

Unsurprised by his act of pulling the thermos out of nowhere Haruka continued, "No problem at all. Feel free to fill it up whenever you want."

"Thanks."

"But, about you leaving. I might have an idea of where you can stay for the night if you were willing to hear me out."

"What? Got a spare room I can use or something?"

Haruka's sudden smirk left Ranma feeling a bit nervous. "Something like that."

"This better not be a trick."

"No tricks Ranma."

"Well, ok. What have you got in mind?"

Haruka leaned back in her chair, a tiny smile on her lips. "First things first my dear nephew. I've never seen this curse of yours. Care to show me?"

Ranma's expression change from curious to annoyed, "Oh no… if you are thinking about having me stay up there as a girl you can just…"

"I'd never ask you to do that Ranma. I would just like to know what you look like is all."

Ranma eyed her briefly before nodding, "Fine. Let me just make sure no one else is around and then I'll show you."

Haruka watched him slip out the door, her thoughts on how to arrange things so he could stay and how things were definitely going to be a lot more interesting with her nephew around. And to be honest, she was looking forward to it.

**ooOOoo**

A red faced Motoko raced up the stairs in embarrassment at being caught listening in on her dorm-managers conversation. She had done so only because she had had convinced herself she was in the right as she needed to stay close enough to protect Haruka should the male attempt something improper. That she'd been caught by the very male she was trying to protect Haruka from was mortifying.

And what she had heard left her curious and confused. The first thing that confused her was the soft tone of voice the normally gruff Haruka used while speaking her nephew as she'd never heard the older woman speak in such a way to anyone. She was familiar with the tone as she'd heard it when her mother would talk to her from time to time; it carried the tones of familiar love and concern. And this male had spurred it in her opinion by shooting back with derision and arrogance; trampling on the emotions the woman showed him. This alone made her angry with him for she herself received little in the way of such proffered caring in her strict youth. To listen to him do so struck a nerve deep within the girl that left her wanting to lash out at him.

Then there were the comments the male made about Naru and herself. Even if she'd been able to forgive him his actions towards his aunt such insults could not go without some form of retribution and yet Haruka had merely laughed and again in a motherly tone tried to get him to correct his lack of manners. Moreover, what of this curse the two of them had been discussing?

Motoko's mind was a whirl with confusion, so much so she'd forgotten Haruka's request she remain outside so that they could talk once she was done with Ranma.

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

Next chapter will be the last in the 'Meet the Residents.' series. The story from here on out will weave in and out with the traditional Love Hina story by Ken Akamatsu.

Special thanks to Dreamingfox for being the beta for this chapter.

There is no set pairing for this tale so don't ask. At least not yet.

Feel free to leave a review, its appreciated. (Even if it's only to point out spelling errors.)

– Revised July 8th, 2011

– Modified August 24th, 2011


	6. Meeting the Residents Part IV

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**(Love Hina Arc)**

**Warning****: **It is assumed that you've read the disclaimer in the first chapter posted. If you continue to read past this point, understand that this story may contain content some find offensive.

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If while reading this story you happen to find any incomplete or half-finished sentences, spelling errors, grammar in need of correction, or things that just don't make sense, I ask you to feel free to send me a private message so that I might correct them. After all, I am human, thus I make mistakes. I ask for your assistance to be less human. (Private Messages can be sent via my profile.)

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***PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO POST A REVIEW***

(After you read the chapter of course.)

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

**Chapter Six**

– **Meeting The Residents –**

– **Part IV –**

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

An hour after Ranma had shown his curse and Haruka had told him of her plan we find them and the tenants of the Hinata Inn once again congregated in the main living room where Naru was making herself position on what Haruka suggested as a solution to Ranma's lack of a place to stay as plain as she could.

"**Absolutely not!**" Naru screamed. "**No way can we let this… this…**"

"Pervert?" Ranma supplied from where he sat on the couch beside his aunt, a smirk on his face and his voice jovial – both of which showed he was taking great amusement from the girls reaction.

"See! He doesn't even deny it what he is so there is no way can we let **it **stay here!" the auburn haired girl exclaimed. "I can't believe you would even ask such a thing! Especially after this…"

Ranma chimed in again, "Pervert."

Naru gave Ranma a death-glare. "**Jerk** peeped on us."

Ranma shrugged and leaned forwards catching the attention of the young girl with the blue hair that sat on a seat opposite him and his aunt, '_What did they say her name was again, Mahoro? Maeswana, oh yeah Maehara._'

"Excuse me Maehara-san" The young girl jumped a bit at being spoken too by the lone male in the room.

"Would it be alright if I had a few of those lemon drops?" Ranma asked politely keeping his tone low so as to not be heard by anyone other than the nervous girl wringing her hands. His reply was a quick nod and a blush.

Beside Shinobu, Kitsune watched his interaction with the young girl with a smirk. The others may not have seen it as their attention was firmly on Naru as she yelled her opinion on this handsome male staying at the inn for even a night but she had seen how polite he was to Shinobu which unlike Motoko and Naru she saw as him actually showing the younger girl a modicum of respect and not trying to lull her into a false sense of security.

Being a the type of person she was Kitsune considered herself a good judge of when someone was trying to fool you and she saw no deceit in Ranma's actions towards Shinobu as he, after receiving a very tiny nod from the young girl, tossed a few of the drops into his mouth after thanking her. She also knew that his request served a dual purpose; one to let Shinobu know he wasn't the bad guy others thought he was and the other to get Naru's goat.

For his part Ranma was indeed enjoying Naru's yelling for it reminded him of home – of stability and though a lot of what she was saying he felt was insulting, Ranma would deal with them later if he need. For right now he was just getting his kicks out of something new and that was someone going to bat for him for a change. This someone was his aunt who for some reason thought these females would allow him to stay at the inn for a night until she had a room emptied for him down at the teahouse. Personally he'd rather have gone with his suggestion of just camping out on the mountain until morning and still would but for now he was going to enjoy the floorshow.

"How could you ask something like that Haruka-san? This place is an all girls dormitory! Asking us to let this…"

Kitsune was about to offer a helping hand to her friend and join Ranma in teasing her when he timed in again, "Fine example of the male gender?"

She then hid her smirk behind a hand while thinking that if Ranma's intent was to dig his own grave deeper he really didn't need her help as he was managing to not only amuse her but dig himself deeper in the process, not that he appeared to care.

Naru pointed a finger in Ranma's direction, "**Male** stay here even for one night is ludicrous!"

"I want him to stay, he looks like fun," Su chimed in from where she bounced on the back of the sofa behind Shinobu.

"He most certainly is not!" Naru responded without missing a beat.

"I don't know… I bet I could think of a few games to play with him," Kitsune purred out.

"Ooooooo games? I want to play too!" Su eager leapt to her feet with the intent ot getting to Ranma's couch only to be prevented by Motoko's hand on her shoulder.

"No Su, this is not the time to play."

"But…" Su pouted.

"Besides, you're a bit too young to play the games I got in mind Su," Kitsune drawled out.

Naru growled, "You're not helping things Kitsune."

Haruka cut in before the two could start their own argument, "Look, this isn't really a request – I'm just letting you know that he **is** going to be staying in Granny's room for the night. If you and Motoko wish to stand guard over his room all night so be it, but he **is** staying here."

"I have to agree with her Haruka-san. An all girls dorm is no…" Motoko started to add before sputtering out.

The reason for her sudden loss of speech was the lemon drop she suddenly found inside her mouth.

Knowing the source Motoko glared across the room at Ranma who was rotating several pieces of the hard candy in his hand, a maddening smirk adorning his lips.

"OH OH ME NEXT!" Exclaimed an excited Su who'd witnessed Ranma's use of the lemon drop to silence Motoko. She immediately leaped into a frog-crouch on the couch opposite him with her mouth open in hopes of catching the next candy-related projectile.

Gaping for a moment Naru turned back and forth from Ranma to Motoko. She couldn't believe that this male would do such a thing and that her friend wasn't making him pay for it.

"You you you…" Naru growled out – a fist held forward ready to strike the male for his actions.

"Male? Pervert? Boy? Grope victim?" Ranma suggested none-too helpfully.

In the seat beside him Haruka wondered if he was doing all this to make her plan to have him stay at the inn even more difficult than it needed to be. What irked her even more was that she couldn't let herself be amused by his antics without undermining her authority no matter how much she wanted to.

Naru's shout of "**DIE!**" and her subsequent leap over the table to strange her nephew she could do something about thus did Haruka intercept Naru's fist going redirecting leaving her to spin in place like a top before falling backwards into the couch on her side of the table.

Seeing Naru about to get up again Haruka let her know that her actions would not be tolerated. "If you know what's good for you, you will not get up out of that couch until you have calmed down Narusegawa."

"I've had enough of this. Ranma **is** staying here tonight and if I hear one more person telling me he's not that person will be cleaning the bathrooms for the rest of the month." Naru went to open her mouth, "**And** weeding the entire grounds including the steps and the tea shop." only to think better of it as did Motoko.

Haruka then continued in a calmer tone. "Shinobu, Su, will you two escort Ranma to Granny's room so he knows which one it is." Looking at her nephew, her eyes narrowed. "And you, I expect you to stay there until I can talk to you, got it?"

"Sure thing," Ranma responded in an all too chipper manner.

"Sure thing Haruka!" Su leapt off the back of the couch to land near the bottom of the stairs and making it half way up before pausing to wait for the other two with obvious impatience.

As Ranma got up, shouldering his pack, Haruka added another requirement to his actions, "And stop egging them on ok?"

"You bet." Ranma responded before bounding up the stairs and over Su's head making the girl squeal in delight as she turned and chased him.

Shinobu hurriedly stood up, bowed to the others and made to follow. She got half way up the stairs before making an "eeping" noise as Ranma's head reappeared from above.

"Auntie."

He managed to get back out of sight in time to miss being hit by an empty pack of cigarettes.

"That boy is going to make me go grey," Haruka muttered.

"Stop right there you two."

Motoko and Naru froze in their tracks, both caught attempting to leave the room via different directions with the same destination in mind – the managers room.

Haruka pointed at the couch opposite her. "I suggest you sit down ladies as I have a few ground rules to lay down: Rules you **will** follow."

"But we can't leave him alone with…" Naru started.

"It is my duty to pro…" Motoko spoke.

Haruka had only to glare. "I wouldn't be worried about anyone but yourselves right now if I were you two. I have several rules the two of you are going to follow concerning my nephews stay so you two are going to sit down right now and listen as I explain them."

She was about to explain to them just how deep they were in it by trying to tell her who could and who could not stay when the sound of someone munching on food echoed through the room. All three turned to look at Kitsune who was lounging quite comfortably on the third couch along the wall to the stairs, a few chips from the bag in her lap halfway to her mouth.

Seeing their open-mouthed stares Kitsune smiled. "Don't let me get in the way I'm just gonna enjoy the show."

"Kitsune." Haruka growled out.

"Besides, I imagin' these rules ya want to lay down will be one's I'll need ta know so just consider me a part of the furniture."

For her part Haruka felt the first inklings of a headache, one she had the horrible feeling would not the last caused by Ranma's visit.

**ooO **Upstairs With Ranma & The Younger Residents **Ooo**

Ranma was enjoying his company on his way to grandmother's room as it provided a chance to get to know the two younger residents without the influences of the older. He was particular amused by Su, who was walking a few feet in front of him quite content to catch the lemon drops he tossed her way. She was even good enough to know when it was a small pebble over a candy being tossed her way as she'd catch the pebbles and put him into one her pockets.

Behind him was a subdued Shinobu whom he'd caught stealing glances at him from time to time instead of looking at the floor, and each time he did she would just blush and look away.

By the time Su stopped at the doorway to the managers room Ranma had decided he liked the two girls; Shinobu for her innocent and meek nature that called out for protection and Su for her exuberance despite the fact that it reminded him a bit of Azusa Shiratori except this girl didn't seem to be naming everything and trying to make off with it.

Hands behind her back rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, Su kicked open the door for him with a foot, sliding the room separator open. In that moment he felt Shinobu run into him from behind and before her collision could cause her to fall to the floor her spun around and caught her.

About to leave go of the now steady girl from his arms Ranma let out an "oof" from released air due to Su's sudden appearance on his back – her green eyes staring over his shoulder down at Shinobu in Ranma's arms.

"You ok Shinobu?" Su chirruped in concern

Shinobu stammered for a few moments, her wide-eyes never leaving until after she gave a brief nod and a squeaked out "Yes.".

Letting her go with a smile Ranma stepped away from Shinobu, "Ok, just be more careful in the future ok? I wouldn't want you to fall and get hurt."

Ranma missed the young girl's deep blush when he stood up to shift his weight from foot to foot in hopes of dislodging his extra passenger who simply clung to him thought his efforts. Seeing that wasn't going to work and dismissing Su as harmless he entered his grandmother's room he moved into the room and seated himself on the floor beside his school pack where he tried to relaxed; in so much as one could with a young fourteen-year-old girl practically hanging off their head. He slowed his breath and began to meditate in hopes of clearing his head slightly.

"Ex…excuse me," a timid voice spoke.

Popping open one eye Ranma found himself staring into a green eye that was extremely close to his. Reaching up a hand he pushed Su's head a bit to the side allowing him to see Shinobu standing in the doorway fidgeting.

"Yeeepth?" he asked, his words a bit garbled because of the two fingers Su had inserted at the edge of his mouth and pulled. "Whhhatph cam I do por you?"

Shinobu couldn't help but giggle at the sight, "I… is there anything I can get you Urashima-san? Fresh blankets, linens, an extra pillow, some tea?"

Plucking Su's fingers from his mouth Ranma managed a few coherent words before the girl managed to stick them back in. "A tea would be nice. Maybe some for me and Haruka since she's gonna be coming up here to talk to me before she leaves."

"Hai…" Shinobu bowed and began to turn.

"Oh, uhmd Maewara-thawn," he again plucked the Su's fingers out of his mouth. "You can call me Ranma if you want." he then swung his shoulders while holding on to the young blond to flip her head over heels – much to her delight – then placed her on the floor in front of him. "You too Kaolla-san."

"Thh…thank you Ranma-san. Please call me Shinobu."

Smiling ear to ear Su replied, "And you can call me Su! We're going to have so much fun I can tell!" She then rushed over to Shinobu to pull her along using a foot to slide the door shut behind them.

From the other side of the door he heard Su rushing away calling out, "Come on Shinobu! First one to the kitchen gets a banana!"

"Strange kid. Likeable, but definitely strange."

**ooOOoo**

What should've taken no more than twenty minutes of Haruka simply explaining the few rules she had for Ranma turning into an hour-long debate in which the girls, Naru and Motoko mostly, tried to restrict nearly any movement or action her nephew would be allowed to take during his stay.

'_I can't believe they wanted to restrict him from using the bathroom or leave him in manacles all night!_' Haruka shook her head in disbelief as she completed her trip to the managers room where she knocked briefly on the door to the room before sliding it open and slipping in. Behind her she could hear that not-so-silent footsteps of a few of the residents. '_No doubt they plan to listen in._' She smirked. '_For my protection of course._'

"So what's up auntie?"

*THWAP*

Haruka stood with her arms crossed, a fan in one hand.

Ranma sat there among his scattered study books rubbing his head. "You're going to keep doing that 'til I stop calling you auntie aren't you?"

"They say pain is…"

"…the best teacher," they finished together.

"I know all about that one aun… er Haruka."

Haruka's expression softened. "I imagine you do Ranma."

A moment of silence passed between them.

"So, what's the verdict?" Ranma asked, his tone showing he had more interest in knowing the answer than he wanted her to know.

"You get to stay for one night, with a few stipulations."

He harrumphed, "Stipulations. I still say sleeping up on the mountain would be a better idea then sticking around any of those…"

"Ranma…" Haruka said warningly.

"Fine fine. What conditions?"

Haruka went to light up a desperately needed cigarette only to have the match flicker out. After the fifth try she glared at her nephew. "Do you mind?"

"In fact I do: About as much as you mind me calling you aunt."

The older woman's glare intensified but Ranma didn't give an inch as he either blew out or tagged the next three matches with some random object to put out the flame.

"Fine!" The older woman swore a few times but left the unlit cigarette hanging from her lips. "These are the rules for your stay." She began ticking off fingers. "One – You accept that this room will be guarded through the night."

Ranma looked like he had a question but waited to ask.

"Two – You go nowhere without at least Naru or Motoko as escourts." Haruka remembered the ten-minute argument Kitsune put up over that one.

"Three – You are expected to stay in this room except to use the bathroom or to take a bath in the morning should you wish it. Said bath is not to last more than a fifteen minutes."

This one earned her a glare.

"Four – You are to be out of the dorm by no later than ten."

Ranma had obviously had enough. "Is the condemned allowed a final meal?" He asked snidely.

"Their requests are not completely unreasonable. Trust me on this." Haruka said knowing that their suggestion he be tied into his futon with Motoko or Naru watching over him from inside the room all night or his being put into a straight jacket would've gone over about as well as a led balloon.

"Ok Haruka."

Said woman began to heave a sigh of relief only to stop when Ranma went on.

"But I have a few questions and a counter request or two. Or are my jailers too stiff-necked to listen to any changes to their wishes?"

"And these would be?" Haruka inquired with clear trepidation at hearing his answer even as she tried to ignore Ranma's smirk at hearing the sounds of muted arguing came from beyond the door she was holding close with a foot.

"One – If I'm not allowed to leave the room without escort than said escort should be ready for me to escort whenever I wish. After all, even if I am an unwanted one, I am still a guest and should be treated with at least a small amount of courtesy, not that I have seen much especially from the damn tomboy and the sour-puss."

Haruka exerted more pressure against the door just in time to stop it from sliding open after which both she and Ranma easily made out the noise created by Naru's exclamation which was cut off mid-stream by what they guess was someone placing a hand over her mouth.

Smirking ever so slightly at the eavesdropper's reaction to his slights Ranma continued, "Eventually I'm going to need to use the bathroom and since their request limits my ability to go there alone, one of them should be available for such requests yes?"

"Not an unreasonable request and I am sure the girls know how to treat a guest and will do so. After all they know that I, not to mention Granny, would not be happy if they didn't do so. That is within the bounds of their restrictions. But don't you forget you're a guest, which means you too are expected to act as such and not push the girls or insult them."

A of silence passed between the two Urashima's allowing the girls listening through the door a chance to quiet down.

"Agreed. If they treat me with respect," Ranma's voice was thick with the doubt they would "I'll do the same in their presence. Now, request number two – Even a prisoner is allowed a meal. If they expect me to stay in here, then I expect to be fed in here."

"Again, not unreasonable."

"And three – This room is off-limits to any female for the duration of my stay without my direct permission after all if they want to keep me away from them than they had best stay away from me – I don't want some peeping tom of a female sneaking into my room in the middle of the night to try to grope me. Stupid perverted tomboy."

This time Haruka wasn't fast enough to stop the door from opening as an irate Naru burst into the room; Motoko and Kitsune tumbling in behind her. She was however fast enough to bar the teens desire to nail her nephew with her fist by barring her way with an arm so she instead settled for yelling at him.

"Who are you calling a pervert you… you… you… you…"

"Naru!" The intensity of Haruka's yell made all the girls to flinch. "I'm ashamed of you girls: listening in on a private conversation with my nephew. Did he do the same when I asked him for time to speak with you?"

Motoko only got as far as to open her mouth.

"No he did not! He came to this room and stayed here waiting for me just like I asked. Now I expect each of you to apologize immediately!"

Looking at their feet in embarrassment Motoko and Kitsune, who'd regained their feet after tumbling unceremoniously into the room, did so without delay but without much in the way of sincerity. Only Naru refused as she continued to stare angrily at Ranma who met her angry gaze with a passive one.

"Naru. Apologize. Now."

"Why should I apologize to him? He should be apologizing for me for what he said about me!"

"What he said is irrelevant as I'm sure that you've said worse about him, in fact you did and to me! If you hadn't of been invading **his** **privacy** you wouldn't have even heard it in the first place and in case you forget what you've overheard I already corrected him on your behalf."

"That still doesn't make what he said right!"

"Which, as I said, I've already told him that he should stop and during what is supposed to be a private conversation it is up to me to take him to task for **not you** Narusegawa! Now apologize or get out."

Naru switched her glare to Haruka only to flinch than look down.

"Fine. I'm sorry."

She sounded even less sincere than Motoko and Kitsune had.

Haruka nodded, "Now, I assume since you were being rude and listening in each of you heard his requests?"

"Hey! Shouldn't he apologize to me now?" Naru cut in.

Before Haruka could reply to Naru's question Ranma did, "Sure. I'm just as sorry about it as you are."

Naru growled.

Haruka cut a hand through the air, "Enough of this bickering! Now, did you did you girls hear his requests?"

"Hai Haruka-san, we overheard this **male's** requests." Motoko responded. Kitsune nodded her head as well.

"His name is Ranma, got that. Though I imagine he'd rather you call him Urashima-san as he hasn't giving any of you permission to be so familiar with him. I am sure you can each manage to do that after all you're not lacking in manners as my nephew has pointed out? Are you?"

Motoko and Kitsune shook their heads; Naru however just continued to glare at Ranma. That is until Haruka stepped into her personal space brining her head level to Naru's, their eyes meeting.

"Do you think I'm talking for the fun of it Narusegawa?"

"Wha… what Haruka?" Naru responded, clearly telling everyone she hadn't heard a word Haruka said.

"I asked if you heard Ranma's requests in response to your rules, now did you or didn't you?"

"Yeah I heard what the jerk had to say."

Haruka narrowed her eyes further causing Naru to gulp and take a step back. "Good, because you're going to accept them." she then looked at each girl in turn "All of you are going to accept them." Before either Naru of Motoko could voice a complaint she added "Without complaint." to her statement. "You will see to it a bell is given to him so that if he rings it one of you **will** come and see to his needs." She looked back at Ranma. "And I expect you to not abuse this privilege understood."

Ranma nodded.

Turning back to the girls she went on. "You will provide my nephew with a meal." She caught Naru's attention with her eyes. "And not something instant or just rice. I expect it to be as good as any you three would eat." Haruka couldn't help but enjoy watching the girl deflate slightly.

"Lastly no female will enter this room without my or Ranma's express permission from the moment I walk out of it until he leaves tomorrow. That is after he has had a bath if he chooses to have one. A bath I expect you to allot him a full hour to take."

"But we agreed on fifteen minutes!" Naru squalled.

"And I said one hour! It's the least you three can do to make up for invading the privacy of our conversation. Now if you will excuse me, I need a cigarette badly." Haruka ushered Naru and the girls away from the door closing it behind her. "Motoko see to it Ranma gets that bell." And with that Haruka left the stunned girls to follow her instructions.

Inside the room, Ranma felt both varying emotions over how things turned out. On one hand, it was nice he had a relative who actually stuck up for him for a change while on the other he felt some guilt at how he'd made things more difficult for his aunt by pushing the girls every chance he'd had.

"Guess I should apologize to her tomorrow." He thought about how he'd treated the girls as well and though he felt he had sufficient reasons to treat them the way he had he still felt some guilt, after all they were only trying to protect themselves from an interloper into their home.

'_I guess I'll just see how things for from here and try to treat them accordingly. But at least I got my foot in the door for one night. Now I just gotta figure out how to keep from getting kicked out or hope that sleeping on the mountain will be enough for the old coot that sent me here._'

**ooOOoo**

Down at the teashop Haruka's fax machine fired up, receiving a rather lengthy set of documents. On the first page, it said 'Sorry, won't be calling tomorrow Love Granny Hina', on the second page one could make out the heading 'Real-estate Deed of Ownership'.

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

There is no set pairing for this tale at this point in time.

Special thanks to Dreamingfox for being the beta for this story.

I would also like to thank Asgeras for inspiring me, even if indirectly, to finish another chapter of this story. (No matter how short it might be.)

Feel free to leave a review, its appreciated. (Even if it's only to point out spelling errors.)

**Notes**

While this chapter didn't have much in the way of direct Ranma involvement, he was still central to the events – something I hope to be able to continue to do. My goal is to keep this story from becoming as convoluted as my other works and stay central to Ranma and what happens to him.

– Revised July 10th, 2011

– Modified August 24th, 2011


	7. A Very Short Chapter

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**(Love Hina Arc)**

**Warning****: **It is assumed that you've read the disclaimer in the first chapter posted. If you continue to read past this point, understand that this story may contain content some find offensive.

**!REQUEST FROM THE AUTHOR!**

If while reading this story you happen to find any incomplete or half-finished sentences, spelling errors, grammar in need of correction, or things that just don't make sense, I ask you to feel free to send me a private message so that I might correct them. After all, I am human, thus I make mistakes. I ask for your assistance to be less human. (Private Messages can be sent via my profile.)

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

***PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO POST A REVIEW***

(After you read the chapter of course.)

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

**Chapter Seven**

– **A Very Short Chapter –**

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

Naru paced back and forth across the floor of Kitsune's room; her fists balled in anger. "I can't believe Haruka would ask us to do something like this! How can she possibly expect any of us to get any sleep with that… that…"

From the comfort of her couch Kitsune waved a half-empty shot glass absently while giving her friend a snide little smirk. "Pervert?"

Naru glared at her friend, "Don't you start with that Kitsune." The girl only chuckled in response. "It was bad enough when that pervert was doing it!"

Kitsune made an unsuccessful attempt to hide her grin behind her glass as she took a sip from it.

"You need to take this seriously Kitsune! Who knows what that immoral male is planning to do to once we go to bed!"

"I for one wouldn't mind too much if a hunk like that was plannin' to do somethin' involving me."

"Kitsune!" a shocked Naru let out. "How can you even think of wanting to have anything to do with that jerk with the way he pawed all over you?"

Much to the younger girl's exasperation the fox-like girl didn't even try to hide her smile this time. "Ya seriously need to rethink things if ya don't like the idea of a hunk like that payin' ya some attention at least once in yer life."

"Kitsune! How can you even think something like that after he tried to peep on us in the hot spring never mind the way he had his hands all over you after he knocked you down!"

"Ya sure yer not tryin' to point out what he did ta me to distract us from what you did ta him sugar?" Kitsune poured herself another shot from the tall bottle on the floor. "I mean ya did get a good look at him while the two of ya were in the bath didn'tcha?" She then swirled the ice-cubes in her drink while giving her friend a devilish smile "Even a few gropes from everything that's been said" The fox-like girl's eyes glittered mischievously as she caught her friends eyes with hers and held them. "Wouldn't that make you the pervert this time Naru-chan?"

Naru turned away unable to meet her friend's eyes – her cheeks having turned a deep red. "I… it was an accident." She then fell back to the same defense she'd been using in regards to Ranma's presence in the inn. "Besides, that jerk shouldn't have been there in the first place! So what happened is all his fault."

Kitsune shrugged and finished half her glass in a gulp.

"We should be worried about what the pervert is up to right now." Naru slammed her hands down on the small make-shift coffee table Kitsune had made from two small empty kegs and a wooden board. "Who knows what he doing?"

The fox of Hinata waved a hand dismissively. "Motoko's watchin' over him right? So what's ta worry?"

"What's to worry about? **A LOT THAT'S WHAT**!" Naru began to pace. "He's a pervert and a peeping-tom who likes to flash little girls! Who knows what other depraved things he might be willing to try to get his kicks! Who knows what kind of perversions he's planning at the moment!"

"Then maybe ya'll should be helpin' Motoko watch over our little guest instead of spending time complainin' ta me?"

Naru stopped mid-pace, her face turned in the direction of where she knew Motoko to be with worry. "You're right. I should be."

"And jus' ta make ya feel better Naru I'll sleep with my door locked ok?"

"Good! Make sure you do! And if that bastard gets passed me or Motoko tonight you be sure to yell for help if he comes in here and we'll teach him to mess with any of us!" Naru then marched out of the room slamming the sliding door shut behind her.

"That girl needs ta relax."

The door flew open. "You didn't lock it!"

"Good grief Naru, ya just left!"

"Just be sure to lock it this time!" Naru slammed the door shut again.

Shaking her head Kitsune dragged herself off the couch, locked the door only to flop back down again. Once comfortable among the cushions of her couch she poured herself another shot of whisky and gulped it down. Twisting around so she was lying with her head on a throw pillow she closed her eyes, her mind wandering back to the first moment she met the inns temporary occupant. The kindness she'd seen lurking behind those blue eyes still haunted her; nearly as much as how he felt lying atop her.

The fox of Hinata smiled a genuine smile, '_I suppose I'll get another chance to see him, especially since he's probably gonna be livin' down at the teashop with Haruka. Too bad, seein' him in the bath again would'a been kinda fun._' Her smile turned into a leer. '_Then again, there is always his bath in the morning._'

Kitsune's last act before she left sleep take her was to set her alarm to awaken her early.

**ooO **Outside Room 204** – **Or The Landlords Room** Ooo**

Motoko stood with one hand touching the frame of the door to the manager's room, her mind in turmoil over what she should do. She wished to confront either Haruka or the male in the room beyond to discover what they were talking about down at the tea shop yet a part of her was still deeply embarrassed at having been caught listening in.

The young Gods Cry warrior knew curses were as real as any of the spirits and demons her family had fought in the past; though she herself had yet to encounter any. She also knew curses ranged from benign mildly inconvenient while others could ruin the lives of not only the one it lay upon but any that came into contact with them. Thus did she worry over her lack of knowledge as to what category Ranma's curse fell and how it might affect those around her.

She had thought about bringing it up during the conversation earlier but felt that airing such a thing would have been disrespectful to Haruka due to the way she'd discovered the information, thus she had kept her questions to herself. Now, unable to ask the older woman as she was loathe to leave her self-appointed post and unwilling to confront the male in the room she was guarding Motoko was in a quandary in which either action or inaction could result in unwelcomed consequences.

Sighing Motoko began to lower her hand from the door when someone hissing her name made her jump; her hand instead hitting the door enough to cause it to gap.

Leaping back from the doorway and whirling to face the person responsible, a hand instantly going to the hilt of her ever-present blade, Motoko turned to see Naru stomping her way down the hall having come out of Kitsune's room.

"What were you doing Motoko?" the honey-haired girl asked in confusion at the possibility of having caught the raven haired kendoist in the act of peeping.

Head turning back and forth from the now slightly open door leading to the manager's room then to her friend Motoko calmed herself, her normal warriors mask falling back into place. "It's not what you think Naru-senpai."

Naru gazed quizzically from the door to Motoko, "So what were you doing then?"

Deciding that Naru had no need to know of what, let alone how, she had learned private details of the dorms sole male occupant, Motoko hedged her reply. "I was concerned that the male was indeed still in Granny's room as I have not heard anything from within for over an hour."

"He was in there right?" Naru's concern over Motoko's possible peeping vanishing instantly with the submittal of a reasonable explanation.

"Maybe, since it's open a crack, we should take a peek? Just to be sure the pervert is still in there." Naru added apprehensively, worried Ranma wasn't in fact in the managers room as he should be.

As one the two turned nervously towards the door, their eyes latching upon the gap Motoko's previous activities had created after which they turned to face each other, faces set in determination. Without further word they moved quietly but swiftly to the door; Naru taking a lower height Motoko the higher as they sought to discern if Ranma was in the room. Much to their surprise the door suddenly opened wide leaving both girls' staring unexpectedly at the room's occupant; one right into his shirtless chest, the other at his boxers. They also found their hands in contact with their respective height level parts of the male's body for they had been leaning slightly against the door when it opened.

A few blinks later Naru and Motoko scrambled backwards the two falling to their rear ends and mouths agape as they watched Ranma shake his head at them and then slam the door shut cutting off thief view of him. From the other side they heard his voice muttering about perverts and having his sleep interrupted.

Neither of the blushing girls spoke, nor did they face look at the other. Motoko quickly settled back into a watchful position opposite the door while Naru walked away, her movements stiff and robotic.

Inside the room, Ranma soon fell to sleep for the second time that night, this time his dreams a kaleidoscope of images pertaining to both his life and that of the Ranma he'd replaced. He rolled around restlessly his mind fighting with itself to retain information Ranma felt was foreign to who he was.

In the end he settled into a state of balance, his mind accepting information regarding school while refusing to accept the emotions and feelings that these other memories tried to forcibly connect with them. Sadly the same could not be said of the emotions coming from other memories of his previous life; these would color his actions in the future.

**ooO **Early Next Morning – Haruka's Tea Shop **Ooo**

Down at the teahouse Haruka sat staring at the fax she'd received from her mother. '_Why the old woman had to add all these stipulations to Ranma's taking over the inn is beyond me._' With a sigh she tapped the collection of papers on the desk making them all even. '_The girl's aren't going to be happy about this at all._'

After securing them in a manila folder Haruka let a glimmer of her pleasure at knowing her nephew would be around instead of leaving as she looked through the window towards the inn on the hill, "At the very least things are about to get very interesting."

**ooO **Room 204 – Hinata Inn** Ooo**

Ranma awoke bolting upright, his eyes rapidly searching the room as to a reason for his sudden consciousness. Finding none, he stretched out before rolling backwards and to his feet. When his eyes fell upon the pile of books he'd left scattered on the floor the evening before when he'd tried to read some of them before going to bed he shivered. '_I can't believe I had nightmares about reading those things._' Not looking where he was going Ranma stepped on a math-book losing his balance to fall to his rear with a thud. '_Then again…_'

When the door to his room flew open Ranma was unsurprised to see Motoko standing there with her sword forward.

"What was that noise? What are you up to male!" Motoko demanded scanning the room for what mischief the inn's unwanted guest had been up to. The small pink eraser bouncing off her forehead brought her attention directly to Ranma who sat on the floor in only his boxers, arms across his chest. Recalling her previous contact with him Motoko struggled to prevent a blush even as she averted her eyes by rescanning the room for what had caused the noise she'd heard before rushing in.

"Don't ya know how to knock?" Getting no answer Ranma made a shooing motion towards Motoko, "Ya wanna get out of my room? I'd like to get some clothes to head to the bath."

Turning around swiftly, putting her blade away Motoko, spoke over her shoulder, "Very well, inform me when you are ready I will escort you to the hot springs where I shall guard the door to prevent you from doing anything perverted with the other residents."

"Whatever, just get out."

Motoko growled at what was obviously a command. "Do not make me wait. I have better things than to spend my morning babysitting one such as you."

Ranma just shook his head as he watched her slide the door shut behind after which he set about getting ready for the day ahead, '_Stupid Kuna-wannabe_.' He let out a soft sigh 'Well, at _least with her guarding the door to the hot spring I should be able to avoid having anyone walk in on me for a change._'

The sound of thunder outside the inn echoed ominously through the inn.

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

Sorry this chapter was so short, especially with the length between postings but my attention is primarily on my other story at the moment – one that has gone through about twelve revisions because I just can't get the scenes to play out how I want.

I will not promise to make future chapters of this story longer as it is a side project to the main one I am trying to keep going. I do hope you enjoyed this little chapter as well as future ones.

There is no set pairing for this tale as of this moment.

Feel free to leave a review, its appreciated.

– Revised July 12th, 2011

– Modified August 26th, 2011


	8. Ownership

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**(Love Hina Arc)**

**Warning****: **It is assumed that you've read the disclaimer in the first chapter posted. If you continue to read past this point, understand that this story may contain content some find offensive.

**!REQUEST FROM THE AUTHOR!**

If while reading this story you happen to find any incomplete or half-finished sentences, spelling errors, grammar in need of correction, or things that just don't make sense, I ask you to feel free to send me a private message so that I might correct them. After all, I am human, thus I make mistakes. I ask for your assistance to be less human. (Private Messages can be sent via my profile.)

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

***PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO POST A REVIEW***

(After you read the chapter of course.)

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

**Chapter Eight**

– **Ownership –**

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

Slipping into the mist covered waters of the hot spring Ranma let out a contented sigh.

"Ah… I soooo could get used to this." His smile of contentment faded to a frown. "Too bad it ain't gonna happen."

Looking toward the doorway to the changing room the bathing martial artist could see the silhouette of his guardian sitting seiza on the other side of the sliding door to the changing room. '_Shesh, what does she think I'm gonna do? Sneak past her and attack the other residents? And how do they expect one guard to stop anyone? Any idiot could get over the fence than run around and go in through the front door._'

Shaking his head Ranma reached for the pail of bathing supplies his 'guardian' had reluctantly been provided and slid it towards him only to knock it over by accident.

"What was that noise?" Came the instant inquiry from his guardian, the hand of her shadow dropping to her hip and the sheathed blade that sat there.

Ranma rolled his eyes, "Just the bathing pail, shesh. Relax ok?"

As her shadow resettled into a seated position Motoko called out "You have forty seven minutes left no more." her voice filled with clear disdain and impatience.

Ignoring his desire to say something that he knew would start an argument Ranma instead set about cleaning himself up while thinking about the crazy dreams he'd had during his evenings rest; dreams that left him feeling slightly out balance emotionally and spiritually. He'd already come to the conclusion that his unbalanced frame of mind was likely the reason behind why he'd been far more confrontational with the girls. Then again, he never did like being pushed into corners or told what he could and couldn't do. One thing he was sure was that unless he found a way to patch things up between himself and the residents any chance of him actually being able to make a go of living here would either fail or be a very inhospitable stay. Still, he would only bend so far.

**ooO **Several Minutes Later -Inside Changing Room To The Springs **Ooo**

Motoko was doing her best to find her emotional center while sitting guard but the knowledge of a male being in the baths prevented her from doing so.

At the sound of the inner door leading to the hallway opening the young kendoist opened her eyes to see a half-asleep Kitsune shuffling her way into the room wearing only a towel, a change of clothes held in her arms.

Though Motoko knew it was odd to find Kitsune up and about so early it was typical of her to use the baths first thing upon waking. Motoko also understood her fellow tenant's failure to see the occupied sign she'd put outside the door as the older female was not known as a morning person by any stretch of the imagination, not even after two cups of coffee. Her presences however reaffirmed the younger girls duty to protect the others from the lecherous male currently washing in the spring as who knew what forms of perversion he'd attempt to perform upon her friends.

Clearing her throat Motoko spoke, "Good morning to you Konno-sempai."

"Mornin'" The towel clad Kitsune half-mumbled in response.

"Forgive me Konno-senpai, if it is your intention to use the baths at this time I must inform you that you will not be able to so at this time."

Withdrawing her arms from the cubical she'd placed her change of clothing into a yawning Kitsune cocked her head towards Motoko. "Whhhyyyy." Pulling the hand she'd covered her yawn with away from her mouth Kitsune tried again. "Oh sorry 'bout that. Didn't get much sleep. :-:yawn:-: So why can't I take my bath?"

"I'm afraid it is in use by that despicable male Haruka-san forced us to accept in our midst for the evening."

This woke Kitsune up a bit as she cursed her luck at Ranma having beaten her to the bath as it had been her hope to get here ahead of him so she would already be in the waters thus avoiding any guards he might have had; such as the one questioning her. Hiding her disappointment the ash-blonde dropped on to the nearest changing bench, "And ya'll would be playin' guard?"

"Yes." After a moment Motoko spoke again. "I am surprised to see you awake this early Konno-sempai."

"Me too darlin' me too. Just couldn't sleep in this mornin' for some reason." Left unsaid was how she wished she had been just a bit earlier.

"No doubt due to the presence a man disturbing the wa of our dorm." Motoko cursed.

"Yer probably right about that." Kitsune smirked while recalling the rather ecchi dreams she'd during the night, all of them centered around a certain bathing pig-tailed male. "Guess it's kinda a waste though, if I have ta wait to use the hot springs 'n all. I was gonna start the day out with a nice hot bath but I guess I gotta wait."

"I am afraid so. I would hurry him but Haruka-san was quite clear **he** was given one hour with which to use the baths without interruption and he still has thirty eight minutes should he choose to take it which I had no doubt he will as he seems to have no consideration for any save himself."

Kitsune made herself comfortable on the bench and leaned back against the wall at its end, "So… ya'll been watchin' him all night?" At Motoko's nod Kitsune leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees, hands folded under her chin, "See anythin' worth watchin'?"

Motoko's cheek's reddened briefly even as she scowled, "Why would I find anything about that male of interest!"

Before Kitsune could respond the loud sound of "_**GERONIMO**_!" followed by that of a large splash was heard from beyond the doors leading to the baths.

Kitsune could only smile as Motoko scrambled to her feet and for the door behind her.

'_Well, looks like I get a chance ta see him again._' The fox of Hinata smirked to herself while thanking the kami for the opportunity while moving to follow Motoko into the main springs area. She of course took the time to make sure her towel was properly displaying the right amount of her body.

**ooOOoo**

Head leaning back against one of the rocks along the edge of the spring Ranma was finally starting to fully enjoy his time in the hot spring when the early morning sunlight was shadowed. Opening one eye slightly and expecting to see a cloud passing overhead he was rather surprised instead to see someone hurtling towards him from above with a shout of "_**GERONIMO**_!"

He had no time to shield himself from the sudden splash of water created by the hot springs new occupant thus was he left sputtering for a second before he stood up to round on whoever had done this,

"What the heck did you do that for?" Ranma groused towards the dark skinned young girl who was wading his way; her infectious smile on her face robbing him of much of his anger.

"'Cause it's fun!"

Ranma, who'd managed to maintain his glare until then, blinked at finding himself unable to find a response to the girls chipper exclamation. After all he had to agree with her it had looked like fun.

He was about to chuckle and start a splashing war with the girl when a ki blast hit him from the side after a dimly heard the cry of "**LESSER AIR-CLEAVING-FLASH**!". The result of having been caught unawares was his sudden ejection from the hot springs as he once again flew across the forest tops of the mountainside.

His sudden impact with the bough of a tree had him flying back in the direction he came, though on a higher arc which resulted in his soaring over the inn his new trajectory leading him to impact with the earth near the back of the tea shop.

"Stupid damn samurai wannabe's" Ranma complained while pulling himself up from the small crater he'd created upon landing.

"Well, g'morning to you too nephew."

Looking up he spied Haruka standing in the backdoor to the Tea House where she was having her morning cigarette.

"Morning auntie."

:-:THWAP:-:

Ranma found his head reintroduced to the ground via Haruka's slipper clad foot.

"Ow…"

A chuckling Haruka turned and headed to go back inside the shop, "Why don't you pick yourself up and come inside Ranma" She paused to look at him over her shoulder with an appreciative glance and a smirk. "That is unless you want to give someone else a free show."

A sudden breeze left Ranma realizing how his landing had resulted in his towel being bunched around his waist leaving him mooning his aunt. Rather than get embarrassed by it he instead smirked, got to his feet, bent over without bending his legs or fixing the towel and wiggled his rear at her while staring at her around his legs holding one eye open with a finger.

Haruka laughed as she walked away. After making himself as presentable as possible in only a tower Ranma followed behind her whistling a happy tune, his mood clearly improved.

A few minutes later found a currently female Ranma and his aunt sitting at the same table they had talked at yesterday, both with a small warm cup of tea in front of them. Whereas Haruka was smiling Ranma was not.

"It's not funny."

The reason for his lack of amusement is that while walking through the back room of the Tea House a water pipe had burst, a cold water pipe. At the time Haruka could not help but laugh at Ranma's efforts to dodge the cold water until the inevitable had happened and his curse had been triggered. Now, some twenty minutes later, Ranma's previous improved disposition had vanished.

"No it's not, especially since I'm going to have to have those pipes fixed." Haruka shook her head. "I know you told me cold water tries to find you at random but just having one burst as you walked through the kitchen can't be normal."

"Trust me, I've seen odder things." Ranma fingered his cup. "You know you could've given me some hot water instead of tea."

Haruka shrugged, "The tea was already made and don't even think about pouring it over yourself." Ranma frowned at her smirk, "I wouldn't want you to stain my clothes."

Ranma looked down at what she was wearing with a frown. Why her aunt had such skimpy skirts and incredibly tight halter-tops was not something Ranma wanted to think about.

"Oh lighten up Ranma." Haruka sipped her tea ignoring her nephew's snort in response. "Though since you're here I suppose I'll go up there with you for breakfast, you know, to make sure you actually get to sit down and eat it."

"I still say it'd be better if ya would just let me set up camp on the mountainside 'till I find a place of my own."

Haruka's chuckled dryly, "Not an option nephew." '_Especially not anymore._' "I'm glad you're here thought as there's something you need to see."

He watched her walk over to the bar where she picked up a large stack of papers and walked back to the table. "I received this fax from Granny last night." She laid the pile in front of Ranma. "It concerns you."

The top form on the pile had a clear header, REAL ESTATE DEED OF OWNERSHIP.

**ooO **Several Minutes Later **Ooo**

'_This has to be 'gramps' influence I just know it._' A still female Ranma thought while following Haruka up the long stairs to the inn. '_Even so how could Granny do this to me? Putting a guy in charge of a girl's dorm is just nuts! And she had better not have been thinking that just because I'm a girl half the time it makes it right!_'

Ranma growled angrily.

'_If it weren't for having to stay here so I can get back to my real life I'd turn around 'n walk away right now. Go on a training trip or something. Maybe find my old man of this world and pound him around for a few months._'

'_And Granny had to go and add that to the damn contract._'

What had Ranma upset was a clause in the deed of ownership Haruka had pointed out on page twelve. It read: Should one Ranma Urashima fail to accept his duties as owner and manager of the Hinata House the aforementioned property will be subject to immediate sale and all occupants shall be required to vacate the premises within five days of his refusal. This clause remains in effect until such time as Ranma Urashima is accepted into Tokyo University.

Which meant if she didn't accept the old woman's demands to take over the Inn, now all female dorm, any chance she had of going home were gone, the girls would not have a home and she would not be able to complete 'gramps' request and as much as she didn't like what she'd seen of a few of the girls he'd met the day before or want to be stuck in a house full of temperamental females it went against the grain for him to allow them to be kicked out just because she turned her back on them never mind that it would be a clear violation of the stupid rules put down by the man who sent him here in the first place.

Sighing Ranma spoke, "Hey Aun… Haruka?"

Said woman kept walking as she responded. "Yeah?"

"Can you be the one to tell 'em?"

"Sure, probably the best thing to do." A ruefully chuckling Haruka answered "They're not going to take this very well that's for sure."

"How about I wait down here?"

"Oh no Ranma, you're not completely dodging this. Plus I think it'd be best if you face them while I am there so I can try to keep things from turning into a blood bath." Her expression lost its mirth turning serious. "I may be willing to be the one to break the news but you're still going to be there with me on the firing line."

"Yeah. I guess I should." Ranma responded with clear resignation before squaring her shoulders, her gait switching from despondent to resign but confidant.

Favoring her nephew, currently turned niece, with a proud smile Haruka nodded even as she was inwardly schooling the anger she felt towards her mother for having trapping him into this. '_Didn't his father do enough of that kind of thing to him? What was the old bat thinking?_' "You'll do just fine I'm sure. Just try not to antagonize them ok?"

She watched him shrug.

"I'll try but I ain't making any promises."

"Just be sure to try. Hard.' Haruka paused. "I know you and they didn't get off on the wrong foot but they really are nice girls once you get past their quirks. I think if you just give them the chance…"

Ranma changed the subject by bringing up her current predicament. "Yeah yeah but fer now I think I need get changed outta these stupid girls clothes." She purposefully ignored Haruka's smirk and went on, "Besides, I don't think telling them about my curse right now would be a good thing."

Haruka regarded her currently female nephew with a serious but questioning expression; "You know keeping it a secret will only cause more problems down the road."

"Yeah well, that's for me to face. Those girls up there already don't like me and I don't need to add being thought a freak to the list."

"You know Motoko overheard us talking about you having a curse… we could use that as a way to tell the others…"

"Nope. No doin'. She may know I have a curse but she ain't got any idea what it is. If she brings it up I'll deal with it than."

"Ranma. They might accept you…"

"Only ever happened once and that person ain't around no more." Ranma murmured softly, his mind on how Ukyo had accepted his curse with only a small amount of personal amusement in changed her back and forth several times. She also knew that wasn't going to happen as the Ranma she'd replaced never met Ukyo.

Haruka softly placed a hand on Ranma's shoulder in a show of support, "Ranma…"

The red-head shook her head, a soft but mournful smile alighting her lips. "It's ok Haruka. I'm used to it."

To Haruka's surprise Ranma stepped up and gave her a quick hug before stepping away. "Look, I'm gonna go on up ahead and try ta get changed. I'll see ya at breakfast."

Before she could recover from the unexpected show of affection Ranma leapt off the stairs and up the hill showing a great deal more adroitness and speed than Haruka had thought her nephew capable of.

"Just how much training have you had?" She asked herself, her eyes tracking the fast moving red-blur until she vanished from sight over the top of the stairs.

One thing she knew for sure, it was time to make some phone calls and find out exactly what he'd been up to since she'd last seen him as there was no way he should be able to do the things she'd seen. Not at the level of skill her grandmother had led her to believe him to be at.

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No notes or author comments for this chapter. Well, except that there are none.

– Revised July 11th, 2011

– Modified August 26th, 2011


	9. Breaking The News

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**(Love Hina Arc)**

**Warning****: **It is assumed that you've read the disclaimer in the first chapter posted. If you continue to read past this point, understand that this story may contain content some find offensive.

**!REQUEST FROM THE AUTHOR!**

(That's me)

If while reading this story you happen to find any incomplete or half-finished sentences, spelling errors, grammar in need of correction, or things that just don't make sense, I ask you to feel free to send me a private message so that I might correct them. After all, I am human, thus I make mistakes. I ask for your assistance in being less human. (Private Messages can be sent via my profile.)

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**Chapter Nine**

– **Breaking The News –**

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

Free from having to deal with watching over the perverted male for the time being Motoko sought the solace of her morning routine; that is she was on the roof practicing her sword strikes against poor innocent leaves as they fluttered by. (Someday Gaia would have her revenge, but that day is not today.)

Just when the heir to the Shinmei-ryū finally attained a sense of peace the sensation of another watching her shattered it like a pane of glass being struck by a rock. Whirling around, blade held forth, she was surprised to find no one there. Eyes narrowing in confusion Motoko cast her gaze about in search of the disturbance she'd felt but found nothing. Wary she sought to re-center herself in hopes of either discovering the source of the disturbance or to finish her morning training Motoko took a deep breath, her eyes slipping shut. Instantly she felt the sensation of being watched, this time from another direction. Again she whirled around to find no reason for her odd feeling of being watched.

After a few minutes of watching and waiting the kendoka punched herself on the shoulder admonishing herself for being overly jumpy, no doubt caused by the presence of a male in the inn.

Once again taking in a long calming breath, she closed her eyes only for a few seconds. When she felt it this time she didn't jump she searched it out and let her ki touch it to confirm its presence. Noting that it was very close she calmly opened her eyes and nearly screamed at finding a pair of stormy-blue eyes staring into hers. Scrambling back after having fallen to her rear Motoko held her sword out before her defensively.

"Wow, you're not very observant." The red-headed aqua-transsexual commented while looking Motoko over from head to toe, a part of her admitting the girl sitting on her rear was rather pretty before smashing that thought down hard, "Not to mention clumsy."

"You!" Motoko exclaimed recognizing Ranma as the red-headed girl she'd spotted at the pool on the mountain.

"Yup, me." Came Ranma's casual after she leaped from the deck to balance upon the one of the branches of a high tree that extended towards the deck, her hands in the pockets of her loose fitting pants.

"What are you doing here?" Getting to her feet Motoko growled "What are you doing here?" her grip on her sword tightening.

"Figured since you found it ok to stare at me while I was bathin' it'd be fine for me to do the same to you while you're practicing." Ranma replied flippantly.

"I was not staring!" Motoko shouted.

Casually extending one of her legs in a stretch over her head with a hand on its ankle Ranma shrugged. "Whatever. Not gonna try to change yer mind even if we both know ya were."

Impressed by the display of balance and flexibility Motoko continued to stare.

"Sorta like yer doing right now."

Shaking her head clear, a tiny tinge of red appearing on her cheeks due to embarrassment, Motoko leveled her blade in Ranma's direction. "You do not belong here, explain your presence or leave immediately!"

Ranma shrugged and stretched her other leg before casually sitting on the branch cross-legged. "There ya go, makin' demands again."

Motoko raised her sheathed sword, clearly meaning to teach this girl respect for her privacy. "I will not ask again!"

"Ya didn't ask me in the first place." Motoko took a threatening step forward at Ranma's casual reply to which the she raised her hands in a stop gesture. "Don't get yer panties in a twist. I'm goin', but not 'cause you 'asked' me to. I got better things ta do than spend my morning watching some wannabe swordsman flail around with a stick."

"How dare yo…" Motoko stepped forward clearly intending to exact punishment for the insults thrown her only to gasp in surprise when the subject of her ire leaned back to fall off the branch with no apparent regard for the damage a fall from such a height might inflict upon their person.

Once over her shock the young swordswoman rushed to the railing seeking in earnest for a sign of where the red-head had impacted with the ground for though she found Ranma-chan to be nettlesome she had no desire to see her seriously injured she just wished the girl to depart. To her confusion there was no sign of the red-head anywhere.

"Where could she have gone?" Motoko asked aloud.

"Where who has gone Motoko-sempai?"

Turning to face the new arrived Shinobu the older girl squared her shoulders after taking a second look over the railing, "No one Shinobu."

"Oh. Ok. Um… I'm sorry to be a bother Motoko-sempai but breakfast is nearly ready."

"Early?"

"Hai. Haruka-san asked me to have breakfast ready early this morning as she wanted to have a talk with everyone after we eat."

"I see." Motoko slipped sword into her belt. "Thank you Shinobu. I will be right down."

With the younger girls departure Motoko gave one last look for any sign of the red-headed interloper before she headed down to join the others for the first meal of the day.

**ooOOoo**

The residents of the inn were nervous as they gathered at the table for breakfast. The reason for this nervousness sat at the head of the table with a scowl on her face as she stared at the assembled girls. The only one who didn't feel the weight of those eyes upon them was Su – she only had eyes for the food on the table.

"Shinobu, did you get my nephew?" Haruka asked casually.

"I'm sorry Haruka-san I couldn't find him." Shinobu fretted with the edge of her apron. "I knocked several times on his door but there was no answer."

"Good riddance if you ask me." Naru grumbled loudly only to cringe under the glare sent her way by Haruka who now set her sights on the honey-brunette for an answer as to why her nephew was missing.

"Since you've seen fit to include yourself in this discussion, would you happen to know why my nephew isn't at breakfast this morning Narusegawa?"

"No…no…" Naru barely avoided a nervous titter, her head turned just enough so she avoided meeting Haruka's gaze directly. "Why would I know anything about where that perv…" She chose wisely to change her words at catching sight of the older woman narrowing her eyes slightly. "Um… I meant why would I know where he is Haruka-san?"

"Why indeed Naru-chan, why indeed." Smiling an obviously fake smile Haruka turned towards inns blade wielding tenant. "What about you Motoko? Have you seen him?"

The girl in question stiffened slightly before nodding, "I did Haruka-san. I caught the pervert in the bath with Su this morning so I chased him off before he could do any harm to her or the other residents. Though I am sure the coward will return eventually."

Haruka was about berate Motoko for referring to her nephew as a coward when someone beat her to it. "Who ya calling a coward stick-girl?"

Everyone turned towards the voice to see the pig-tailed manager of the Hinata dorm, who was dressed in his normal Chinese silk tang and loose fitting kung-fu pants, casually entering the room through the door to the living room as if he had not a care in the world.

"And for your information," Ranma's tone held a note of challenge "she dropped in on me interrupting my bath not the other way around and you know it."

"Be that as it may that would not have happened had you, a male, not been present in an all female dorm in the first place." Motoko retorted "Thus the blame is entirely…"

"Mine." Haruka said cutting the younger girls off, "Since I was the one that requested Ranma spend the night in the inn any blame is mine. A request I believe included his being able to use the hot springs without interruptions. Did it not Motoko? Su?"

Motoko's reply was a stiff nod while Su made no pretense of even paying attention to anything other than the food before her and the fact none was on her plate yet.

Haruka indicated for Ranma to take the open seat to her left. "Ranma, please excuse Motoko's unfortunate choice of words as I am sure she didn't mean anything by it." The words hardly out of her mouth Haruka turned the full force of her glare upon the kendoka. "Did you Motoko?"

Her heart clearly not in her apology Motoko bowed slightly towards Haruka, "Yes, please excuse my choice of words I did not mean to offer any slight."

Satisfied with her gesture, if only towards his aunt Ranma ignored the kendoka as he sat down, the idea of actually getting breakfast far more important to him than having a spat with the dark haired kendoist. Unfortunately for his stomach his aunt didn't intend to let him enjoying eating just yet.

"Now, as I am sure Shinobu informed you I have some things to tell you girls before we eat." Haruka started to say only to be interrupted by Ranma.

"Can't we can eat first?" His stomach growled voicing its opinion on the matter. Ranma had to smirk when an echoing growl came from Su's direction. "Before the blonde there creates a puddle with all the drooling she's doing."

"Her name is Su Ranma and I suppose what I have to say can wait until after breakfast." Haruka replied. "Anyone have a problem with delaying my announcement until after we eat?"

Naru, Motoko, and Kitsune looked like they were about to voice their complaints only to stop when the saw the pitiful look directed their way by a hungry Su and an equally pathetic looking Ranma. Unlike the one directed at her by Su, Kitsune and Shinobu couldn't keep the faint blush Ranma's large watery eyed stare elicited from them in response to its desperate cuteness.

"Well, since no one is complaining. Then I say let's eat."

He was about to eagerly partake of the bounty before him when Haruka added a request of "And Ranma, eat normally please." that left all but Su wondering what the elder woman had meant by that.

"Sure thing… auntie." Ranma agreed even as he blocked Haruka's attempt to swat him on the back of the head with her ever-present fan with a chopstick.

A brief exchange of glare to grin and the meal progressed normally, that is to say that everyone enjoyed it immensely especially Ranma and Su who had several helpings including a brief argument over who would get the last tamagoyaki which ended with him reluctantly giving up the delicious morsel to a teary-eyed Su.

With the meal behind them all eyes turned towards Haruka.

**ooO** A Few Minutes Later In The Living Area **Ooo**

The Hinata-Sou took flight from the sudden scream of "**WHAT?**" that came from inside the building.

"**I WON'T ALLOW IT!**" Came Motoko's shriek of outrage, her sheathed blade pointed towards Ranma where he sat on the couch beside his aunt.

"**HOW CAN A MALE BE MANAGER OF AN ALL FEMALE DORM!**" Came and equally loud cry of indignation from Naru who slammed her hands down on the small coffee table nearly breaking it.

"I like him he gave me his tamagoyaki!" This came from Su who was smiling at the boy she just knew would be a fun person to play with. "And he can run on ceilings!"

Shinobu just sat there, blinking owlishly while trying to make herself as small as possible so as to avoid being drawn into the ensuing squabble.

"I'm all for having a guy 'round some of the time Haruka-san but ya can't expect us ta sit back 'n let one live here." Kitsune tossed in her two cents after which she gave Ranma a half-hearted smile and an appology. "No offense sugar."

Ranma shrugged, "None taken."

"It's out of my hands girls." Haruka held her hands splayed before her before dropping them to her lap.

"What do you mean it's out of your hands Haruka-san?" Naru asked. Make that demanded.

"Even if it weren't all there in black and white" Haruka tapped the deed papers on the table Naru had nearly broken moments before. "We can't do a thing about it because it's what Granny wants."

Ranma was rather amazed at the power of those words as each girl, save the still shy acting Shinobu and the happy go lucky Su, simply gaped a few times like a fish before clamping their mouths shut. As one he watched the five tenants of the inn move to a far corner where they huddled together talking in furtive whispers.

A little more than minute later the group turned as one to face Ranma and Haruka, with Kitsune stepping forward as the groups spokeswoman, "If that's what Granny Hina wants than we now accept you as the new caretaker."

With that said all five of the girls bowed and than walked out of the room leaving behind a gaping Ranma who only came to his senses when Haruka slapped him in the back of the head with her fan.

Ranma looked upon the departing girls incredulously. "That's it?"

Haruka nodded.

"That's it?" The newly accepted manager again voiced his disbelief. "Just ok we accept you?"

"Looks like it."

"No mallets to the head? No chases around the building with screams of die? No crazy tomboys sending me flying skyward out of the building with a punch? No attempts to blackmail me? Not even a threat I had best watch my step or a promise of everlasting revenge?"

"Um… no."

Ranma stood up and started to walk towards the inns entrance clearly in a slight daze. Haruka sweat-dropped slightly hearing Ranma's departing comment of "What kinda crazy screwed up nut house have I ended up in?"

**ooOO **A Short Time Later **OOoo**

Ranma stood leaning against the railing outside his room, the outer screens of the building slid back allowing in the refreshing mountain breeze as he waited for the other shoe to drop for in his experience things just never went that smoothly. He felt in his bones that there had to be a catch somewhere but since the females of the dorm had been avoiding him since breakfast, which was fine by him, he had yet to find out what it was. This of course left him trying to figure out what if anything they might be planning to do and thusly leaving him sufficiently distracted that he failed to notice Kitsune as she sashayed up to him wearing a pair of form fitting shorts that could have been painted on and a sleeveless low-cut top. Upon reaching him she smirked then reached out and pinched his rear making him leap up in surprise. When he came down he missed landing back on the railing and instead ended on his rear at her feet.

Leaning decidedly forward Kitsune purred out "Hello there sugar."

Looking up and away quickly, a tint of redness to his cheeks at having seen for his own eyes that the buxom female leaning over him was not wearing anything under her shirt Ranma felt for sure that this was at least one of the 'other shoes' he had coming his way. "Oh um… hey Mitsune."

"Awww how sweet, ya already remember my name." Kitsune leaned further over while stepping a bit closer to her prey making sure to give the still floor bound male a rather full glance at her bosom. "Still, it's only proper a lady introduce herself."

To avoid any further 'accidental' glimpses and further embarrassment Ranma picked himself up off the floor which Kitsune responded to by adjusting her position relative to him in order to present her luscious figure to its best advantage; chest and rear thrust out enough to make them stand out without being obscene. She leaned back against the brace between windows bending one leg slightly while keeping the other straight, her arms folding beneath her chest.

"My name is Mitsune Konno but ya can call me Kitsune, everyone here does."

Once on his feet Ranma skirted around the grabby girl making his way into his room after he bowed to her. To his frustration Kitsune stepped into the doorway preventing him from shutting it if he'd been so inclined.

"Is there something I can do for you?"

"Can't a girl get ta know her new manager?" Kitsune asked with a pout.

"Su… sure um… sorry. Come on in."

Walking with an exaggerated wiggle in her steps Kitsune took a seat on the only piece of furniture in the room, an old couch.

Scratching the back of his neck Ranma took a seat on the couch making sure to keep a respectable distance from his guest. "I haven't had a chance to settle in yet so don't mind the room."

"No problem sugar. Took me at least a month or two 'til I got my room to be all nice and cozy." Kitsune made sure to pat a hand on Ranma's leg as she spoke, "I'm sure once ya get a few of yer things up on the walls 'n a few knick-knacks you'll feel the same."

Noting how Ranma pulled away from her flirtatious gesture the gleam in Kitsune's eyes dimmed, "Ya'll seem a bit skittish Ranma." She then smiled devilishly at him, "Do I make ya nervous?"

"A bit yeah."

His forthright answer caught Kitsune a bit off guard. "Why's that?" she inquired whilst scooting closer to Ranma's end of the couch..

"I keep expecting someone to come running down the hall screaming pervert or something." Ranma said as he got up off the bed to collapse directly across from Kitsune to sit cross-legged upon the floor.

"Why, were ya thinkin' about doin' something perverted with little ole me Ranma-kun?"

"Nah, but that's never stopped people of accusing me of doing it."

Again, thrown a curveball, Kitsune wasn't about to give up on her plan to scam some free rent just yet.

Slowly turning her body so she would be lying on the couch on her side, her head propped up by one arm, Kitsune tried to present the sexiest pose she could, one that was completely lost upon Ranma much to her growing frustration as instead of staring blatantly at her he instead leaned over to pull his bag towards to start pulling some of his stuff he needed to put away. Even heaving her chest with several sighs or languidly stretching her body out on did little to garner Ranma's interest and she was starting to take his ambivalence as an insult to her beauty.

Seeing that her sublet approach wasn't working Kitsune decided on a more direct approach; that is she pounced upon Ranma without warning knocking him on to his back with a thud. Staring down into his startled eyes with a sexy pout Kitsune dipped her head to press her lips upon Ranma's while snapping up his right hand bringing it to her left breast making sure to help him get a good squeeze of it.

In that moment the doorway to Ranma's room burst open, Naru leading the charge with a scream of "What was that noise? You better not be doing something pervert you jerk!" behind her came Motoko, sword in hand, and a bouncing Su who just wanted to be in on any fun that might take place.

What they found was Kitsune on the floor, on all fours, one of her hands grasping her own breast.

"Kitsune?" Naru gaped at her friend, a friend who had a just as confused a expression on her face as Naru did. Behind her Motoko stood looking balefully at Kitsune while covering Su's eyes with one hand – the young blond trying to pry apart said fingers so she could see what was going on.

"It is bad enough we have a perverted male within the dorm, if you must do such things openly Konno-san please do so in your own room." A red-faced Motoko turned her back on the girl taking Su with her from the room.

"But I was… he was…"

Shaking her head Naru helped her friend to her feet, trying not to notice the picture of their new manager that lay on the floor before Kitsune, one her friend had obviously been doing perverted things to. "Come on Kitsune. Let's get you out of here before the pervert comes back and thinks he can take advantage of you just because you're in his room."

"Huh? What?" Kitsune gazed questioningly at her friend, wondering what the heck had just happened. One second she had Ranma under her and the door was bursting open, the next she felt a breeze and she was alone on the floor with her friends staring at her.

A blushing Naru bent over and picked up the picture of Ranma in nothing but swimming trucks and pulled her friends still groping hand away from her own beast to slam the five by eleven glossy into Kitsune's hand before shoving her out of the room. "You and I are going to have to have another one of those chats again aren't we?"

"But I… He was… Now he's…" Kitsune stammered, trying her best to look past Naru and into the room seeking any sign of Ranma.

Closing Ranma's door shut behind her Naru continued to guide her friend away from their new manager's room and towards her own.

Within the room, clinging tightly to the ceiling, Ranma let out a very soft sigh of relief. "That was close."

Dropping cat-like to the floor Ranma looked at the hand Kitsune had used to cup her breast and smirked, "I can't believe I got a free feel and didn't get punished for once."

Looking at his hand thoughtfully, the fingers splayed out in a cupping gesture Ranma. After a moment he snorted, "Mine are way firmer."

He then whipped his lips with a grimace. "And even worse her lips tasted like saki. Bleh."

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:**Notes**:

Yes the ending of this chapter closely followed the scene where Kitsune first tries to trick Keitaro into giving her free rent but I had it go poorly for the Fox, which of course means she will take getting Ranma's attention as a challenge. One Ranma will end up on the wrong end of on more than one occasion. I just felt having it play out the way it did originally wouldn't be as much fun.

I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and I look forward to your reviews

– Written June 20th, 2010

– Revised July 11th, 2011

– Modified August 29th, 2011


	10. You Win Some, You Lose Some

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**(Love Hina Arc)**

**Warning****: **It is assumed that you've read the disclaimer in the first chapter posted. If you continue to read past this point, understand that this story may contain content some find offensive.

**!A REQUEST FROM THE AUTHOR!**

If while reading this story you happen to find any incomplete or half-finished sentences, spelling errors, grammar in need of correction, or things that just don't make sense, I ask you to feel free to send me a private message so that I might correct them. After all, I am human, thus I make mistakes. I ask for your assistance to be less human. (Private Messages can be sent via my profile.)

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***PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO POST A REVIEW***

(After you read the chapter of course.)

(PLEASE!)

(Pretty Please?)

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**Chapter Ten**

– **You Win Some –**

– **You Lose Some –**

– **You Rarely Break Even –**

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It had been little over a week since Ranma had become the manager and owner of the Hinata-Sou and he now knew just about every job that needed to be completed on a regular basis. This was mostly due to the tenants, specifically Naru, Motoko, and Kitsune, making sure he did them all – sometimes multiple times a day – and always with one of the same three watching over him like a hawk. Oh there were several times he'd give them the slip but once they found him they would harp on him that this or the other thing had not been completed or accuse him of trying to do something perverted while out of their sights.

Currently it was mid afternoon and Ranma was working on cleaning the wooden floor on the second story of the inn. When he had paused to wipe the sweat from his brow his current guardian, Naru, berated him for what was clearly an act of laziness. "At this rate you'll never get this done and you still have a whole other floor to do before dinner! It's bad enough you keep changing the water every time it gets even a little bit dirty."

The reason for this had nothing to do with the filth in the water but rather its temperature which Ranma sought to keep above the level that would activate his curse.

"You know, you could always go bother someone else. I can do this just fine without an escort or someone telling me how to do it. I've done things like this plenty of times." Ranma had in fact done so many times in the past in both of his lives while staying at various dojos as payment for his stay. Inwardly he was chuckling at Naru's attempt to be annoying by pointing out spots he supposedly missed as she was hardly as exacting as any of his duly appointed taskmasters had been. "Heck I'd probably get this done a lot faster if you weren't looming over me."

"And leave you alone? No way!" The broom-toting female adjusted said weapon to her left shoulder. "And I'm not looming! I'm guarding you to make sure you don't try to do anything perverted!"

Ranma bit back a retort and sighed. "Look, like you said I gotta do this floor 'n then the next so why don't ya just go find something else to do and leave me here ok? Seriously, what kinda trouble can I get inta with a bucket, a sponge, and a bunch of warm water?"

"I don't know and I don't want to give you the chance so just shut up and get back to work." Naru added a mumbled 'Pervert' as she turned away from Ranma towards the sound of Kitsune's door opening. Said girl poked her head out and smiled at her friend.

"Hey Naru. Ya seen our new manager around? I got a crack in my ceiling that needs fixin'."

"Sure, the jerks right…" Turning back Naru found the hallway empty, even the wash bucket was gone. "HEY! Where did he go? He was right here a second ago."

Kitsune stepped into her doorway to lean against the jam. "Told'ya Naru, ya can't take yer eyes off him for 'em second or he'll up 'n vanish on ya."

Hefting her broom Naru stomped off, "Great. Now I have to go find the jerk before he does something, again. He had better not be leading Su on again that pervert!"

Kitsune just shook her head as she watched her friend round the corner, "That girl has got ta learn to relax."

"Yeah, no kidding."

Letting out a startled "EEP" Kitsune whirled around to find Ranma standing not more than two feet behind her; he was holding a trowel in one hand and a small container of plaster in the other.

Ignoring the fox's reaction Ranma held up the trowel and wiggled it a bit. "You said something about a crack on your ceiling?"

Shaking off her surprise Kitsune gestured for him to enter her room making sure to puff out her chest as Ranma passed her. Much to her continued annoyance his eyes remained locked ahead not giving her abundant cleavage as much as first glance.

"So where's the crack?"

Casually pointing up towards a corner of the room Kitsune indicated where the small (miniscule) crack was, "Right there sugar."

Kitsune's response to Ranma's 'you've got to be kidding me' look was a coy smile. "Ya know what they say about preventative maintenance."

"No. I don't." Ranma responded flatly then sighed. "Still, I'll go get a ladder 'n fix yer crack."

"No need, use my chair." Kitsune offered a bit too helpfully.

After eyeing both the chair and the one offering it Ranma cautiously accepted its use as a ladder.

Once up on the chair, his back conveniently to Kitsune, she slipped into position in preparation for when the chair broke, something she was sure would occur as she'd weakened the legs on the side facing her, she'd be conveniently in position when Ranma fell so they would land together in compromising position on her futon she'd just rolled out across the floor with a gentle kick of her foot. The little remote she scooped up from the dresser would let her trigger the camera she'd strategically placed so she could capture Ranma's inappropriate act on film for blackmail use.

Now all that was left was the wait. Not that she minded for she had a rather nice view of Ranma's backside, something she'd come to appreciate after watching him during his time spent scrubbing the hot springs.

When Ranma stepped up onto the backside of the chair in order to get at the furthest point of the crack Kitsune held her breath in anticipation for when he came back down. When he did she almost giggled in joy when the legs gave out with a crack. That joy turned into a wide-eyed stare when instead of Ranma falling back on her he somehow managed to keep the chair perfectly balanced on two legs only to step down off it catching the chair and hefting it over his back before it could hit the floor.

Turning to face her Ranma gave Kitsune an apologetic smile as he headed to the door, "Sorry about the chair Kitsune. I'll get it fixed and back before ya know it!"

With that he left her room sliding the door shut behind him just in time to be confronted with Motoko who spotted him exiting the room as she came up the hall. Having heard Kitsune's scream of frustration Motoko immediately went on the offensive, if only verbally. "What have you done to Kitsune?"

"Why does it have to be me that did something?"

The raven-haired sword-mistress dropped a hand to the hilt of the blade at her waist as she sped up her approach. "Do not try to deceive me male! Kitsune screamed after you exited her room so it is no doubt your fault now stand there and take your punishment like a man!" Blade coming free from her waist Motoko swung her weapon with a cry of "Stone-Cleaving-Sword" releasing the ki attack towards her target.

Leaping out of the way and letting the attack go down the hall where it struck the outer wall destroying it Ranma glared at his attacker. "HEY! I didn't do anything!"

"Then why were you coming out of her room!" Motoko demanded, her arm already going back for a second attack. After having it happen once before she should not have been surprised when Ranma stepped forward and into her personal space instead of backing away, yet she was.

Meeting her glare with his own the chair-toting manager yelled "WHY DON'T YOU ASK HER!" with enough to cause Motoko's hair flutter backwards, his left arm gesturing firmly towards the door to Kitsune's room. "That is unless you want to create some more holes in the walls of this place for me ta fix 'cause you don't wanna take the time to check things out before ya go all crazy on me!"

"Very well." Motoko lowered her weapon with a glower as she stepped away from him. "I shall do so. But you shall remain here where I can see you until I obtain the truth of this matter."

Plopping the chair on to the floor Ranma folded his arms across his chest and took a seat, balancing himself with ease despite the chair only having two functioning legs. "Fine. But hurry up. I ain't got time to waste."

With a wary eye upon him Motoko rapped upon the doorframe to receive Kitsune's clearly irritated response of "Who is it!"

"It's Motoko Konno-san. Is everything ok?"

"Just peachy sugar." Came the fox's immediate but disgruntled sounding reply; one accompanied with the sound of a cork popping.

"Are you sure Konno-san, I heard you yell out before I cough… found Urashima exiting your room. If he has in anyway coerced you into silence you can rest assured I will…"

"I'm fine Motoko" Kitsune yelled back, after which a barely muttered "if a bit frustrated." was added. "Tell Shinobu to save me some dinner 'k? I'm gonna be doin' some late night writing and don't wanna be disturbed." The sound of her deep chugging could be heard from beyond the door cluing both Motoko and Ranma into the fact she was gulping down something.

Ranma easily spotted the brief down-turn of the raven-haired warriors' lips before they returned to their previous neutral position. "I will tell her Konno-san. I hope to see you at breakfast."

Ranma stood up, grabbed the chair, and started down the hallway. "Told ya so Aoyama-san. Ya should try to be a bit more trusting." When he reached the corner Naru's yell of "GOTCHA YOU SLACKER!" accompanied her punch to his face sent the surprised male flying from the inn.

**ooO **Several Minutes Later **Ooo**

Hauling himself, his passenger, and the now completely ruined chair into the tea shop at the bottom of the stairs to the Hinata, Ranma slid on a stool to flop his head down on the counter while releasing a long drawn out sigh.

Haruka, who was mindlessly washing out a series of small tea cups behind the counter, chuckled at her nephew and his lamprey for the almost five foot tall blonde on Ranma's back had her arms and legs wrapped tightly around his waist and neck. Adding to the overall oddness to the image was that Kaolla Su was busily snoring away as if she hadn't a care in the world.

"Another bad day Ranma?" Haruka asked, finishing up one cup to start on another.

Cracking open an eye Ranma stared hard at his aunt for several seconds before answering, "Nine attempts to launch me from the premises via either punch or sword – two of which succeeded. Two bathroom walk ins – both on me and by the same person. And that's not counting the fifteen compromising circumstances – one of which involved a laundry basket filled with female undergarments and a banana peel. So yeah, kinda a bad day."

He slammed his head back down on the bar, his next words mostly muffled by the wood, "I doubt poor Shinobu'll be able to look me in the face for a while which sucks since I'd finally managed to get her to do more than stutter a hello when she sees me."

Haruka patted Ranma's head with a free hand, "That's three less attempts to launch you than yesterday. The girls must be warming up to you."

"Yeah right." Ranma said shooting Haruka a look that clearly asked what universe she lived in. "The only one who's shown wanting to be around me besides to guard me is this one" He thumbed towards Su, "and she tries to blow me with one of her gadgets 'n when she ain't doing that she treats me like her personal monkey-bars or something."

"So she still tries to blow you up?"

Haruka discerned her nephew's shoulder and head movements to indicate he'd nodded.

"Odd, I haven't heard any explosions lately."

Raising his head to prop it up with a cupped hand under his chin Ranma chortled, "That's 'cause she doesn't do it inside the inn anymore."

Taking a puff on her ever present cigarette Haruka waited for him to explain.

"I kinda worked out a deal, she doesn't try to blow me up around the inn and I let her have her fun when I'm up on the mountain trying to practice. Of course this means she really goes nuts when she does."

Figuring there was more to the story Haruka prompted him with a raised eyebrow only to receive a smirk in response to which she let out an exasperated sigh. Turning away she moved about behind the counter to pour him a cup of tea which she set down with a slight clatter before him. This had become something of a game between her and Ranma since he came down to her shop after his third day as manager. He'd come down grumbling about setting the place on fire and she'd managed to calm him down by feeding him, using it to prompt him to tell her more of what had been going on instead of just mumbling. Since then he'd give her just enough information about what was going on in his life to get her interested and then would hold out until she ponied-up with either a drink or snacks – often both.

"Ok, cup of tea your highness." Haruka said mockingly. "Now spill."

Enjoying both his drink and his aunts twitching eyebrow for a few moments Ranma eventually started speaking. "The other day after being blasted outta the inn by the tomboy," Haruka knew who he meant as this was the name he'd taken to calling Naru, "I landed up near the top of the falls, the ones that lead to the small pool where Motoko found me the other day."

At seeing Haruka nod he continued.

"Well if ya follow the stream a ways up it kinda splits, one part going way up the mountain the other disappearin' into a cliff face. You know, the one that's always covered by fog making it hard to see where yer going. Well I figured out why it's always foggy there, it's 'cause of the hot spring the water comes from."

Knowing their dance and Ranma's likelihood to cease sharing Haruka deftly set a small plate of sugar cookies in front of him; she'd bought the box just for these occasions and kept it beneath the counter.

Snagging three cookies from the plate, of which he only got to eat two as a sleeping Su somehow managed to snag one from him to eat in one gulp, Ranma continued, "Well I found this opening and it leads to a kind of kind of a bowl area surrounded by cliff faces all the way around takin' up the most of the one side is a hot spring. Seeing as there's no stream out of the bowl I kinda figure that it seeps through the rock 'n out the cliffside which's probably why there's always fog along there."

"That still doesn't explain your agreement with Su."

"I'm getting' to it. Shesh." Picking up a napkin Ranma grumbled about the girl on his back making a mess as he wiped the crumbs from her mouth and than his own, an act that left Haruka with a smile which she quickly hid when her turned back to her. "Well I'm sure ya heard all those explosions the first couple of days up at the inn… they happened every time Su here was involved in watchin' over me or trying' to help with my 'chores'."

Haruka didn't need to acknowledge Ranma's stressing the word chores as she knew from earlier conversations that one of the primary trio (Naru, Motoko, or Kitsune) had been riding shotgun over his shoulder making sure he completed his duties as manager; several of which hadn't been done in ages as they were annual jobs not weekly as the girls seemed set upon convincing Ranma they were. She in fact had plans to correct him on this when after she found out about their attempts to foist greater amounts of work upon her nephew but she'd put off doing so after overhearing their disbelief after he completed each job without undo complaining. It amused her to see that their plan to force him to quit had proven to be ineffective up against Ranma's apparent ability to get the job done despite their less than unobvious attempts at sabotage.

"Anyway, the little banana nut here kept me going for several days usin' me to test several of her 'toys'… that is until I started ta avoid her."

"And how did you manage that? Avoid her I mean?" Haruka smiled. "I only ask 'cause I know just how persistent and skilled she can be at locating people she's looking for and such a skill might come in handy someday."

"Sorry, some things I gotta keep to myself." Ranma picked up another cookie. "Anyway, I was able to avoid being her test dummy for about two days until she tracked me to my hidden practice spot."

"And just how did she do that?"

"I put a tracking device in his food!" Chirped the now awake Su who then snagged the cookie from Ranmas hand to stuff it into her mouth much to his annoyance and her delight.

"Let me guess, you were in a hurry to eat and didn't even bother to chew." Haruka drawled out with a half-chuckle.

"Hey!" Alternated between giving dirty looks to the girl on his back and his aunt, "You try sneaking in a lunch when you're either bein' harassed by a tomboy with a broom, glared at by a wannabe samurai, or trying to avoid being tricked into something by a far too grope-happy fox 'n see how often you get to enjoy a good meal!"

This earned him a few more unwanted chuckles from his audience of two.

"Anyway," Ranma groused "the next day when I snuck out ta take a bath in the hot spring up I found myself dodging landmines, banana powered flame throwers – which act like napalm, pie throwers – pineapple of course since Su doesn't like pineapples and throwing banana pies would be a waste." The little blonde in question nodded in affirmation. "'N there's no fogettin' the miniature attack copters, the laser guided missiles, marbles ranging in size from peanuts ta baseballs, the deadfalls, and the bear traps."

Haruka looked owlishly at the two seated before her, both of which were smiling as if they had just won the lottery, a sight which disturbed her for if everything she'd heard was right Ranma was probably lucky to survive yet he looked as happy as could be. She couldn't help herself, so she asked, "Um… Ranma… Why are you smiling?"

Ranma brushed away a single tear that fell from his eye, a tear of joy before exclaiming "'Cause it was the best damn practice session I've had since Granny took me away from pops!"

The elder Urashima alternated expressions and feelings ranging from horrified to impressed as she had some of an idea of what Ranma was calling great training after seeing Su make such a obstacle field once for Motoko; the kendoka hadn't made it more than three feet before fleeing her room in fear for both her sanity and safety. Su never did it again after Granny Hina have her quite the dressing down explaining to the poor girl that as much fun as Su might believe it would be for Motoko it wasn't something anyone should have to go through just to get a pair of panties from their drawer.

Once she marshaled her thoughts a straight-faced Haruka spoke, "So let me get this straight. Su booby trapped your private bathing area and you like it?"

"Hell yeah!" Ranma exclaimed jubilantly. "Why if pops saw what this little girl could do with two tongs, a pint of raspberry jam, a toy Pokémon ball, some gasoline, twelve clothes pins, a ball of twine and a lighter he'd weep with envy!"

Gulping down the last of her cup of tea Haruka sent a brief prayer to the kami to punish her sister's ex-husband for whatever he'd done to make Ranma think surviving a war zone was fun.

"I can't wait to see what she comes up with for next time!"

She repeated the prayer a second time before girding herself to elucidate the two of them just how nuts she thought they were when the door to the tea shop flew courtesy of a steaming Naru who was accompanied by a more sedate Kitsune.

"Haruka? Have you seen your nephew? He's supposed to be replacing the broken panels on the windows on the second floor and finishing with scrubbing and the third flo…" the honey-blonde trailed off at spotting her quarry seated at the counter with Su practically hanging off him.

"YOU PERVERT!" Naru screamed as she charged across the room, a glowing fist cocked at her hip.

For her part the elder Urashima watched as her nephew reacted to the sudden impending doom by tilting backwards allowing Su to land lightly on her feet behind him where the little blonde hopped back a step and out of the danger zone with such nonchalance it was clear to her that the two had practice at it. She also noted how just before Naru could reach him Ranma almost glided to place himself before the open window of the tea house in time for the enraged girls fist to connect sending him on a one-way trip up the mountain without actually inflicting any damage to the shop in the process.

With the target of her ire gone a huffing Naru rounded on Su questioning her in an obvious attempt to discern, after the fact that punishment had been delivered, if Ranma had tried to do anything improper.

After about a minute of this Haruka coughed loudly earning her Naru's attention, "Now just what was that for Narusegawa?"

"That jerk was hanging all over Su!" Naru answered, her tone filled with righteous womanly fury.

Haruka thought to correct Naru and point out that it was Su who was doing the hanging but she instead shook her head, "Whatever. I'm not getting involved. This time." She then turned to Su. "Why don't you go play Su?"

The small blonde bundle of energy needed no further prompting as she vanished out the front door with a bounce in her step and a whistle on her lips.

-Hrumph- "I better go after the idiot before he finds some other girl to prey on." With that Naru stormed out of the tea shop leaving Haruka alone with Kitsune; who'd took Ranma's spot at the counter to snatch up the last remaining cookie on the plate.

Going back to cleaning her cups the elder Urashima let the younger girl sit in silence despite knowing enough about Kitsune's demeanor to know that she had some questions to ask.

With the cookie devoured Kitsune smiled oh so disarmingly, "So, Haruka-san… mind if I ask ya a couple a questions?"

Haruka shrugged, "What about?"

"It's about yer nephew, Ranma."

Haruka held back her desired statement of 'no duh' and instead asked, "What about him?"

"I was wondering if ya'll could tell me a bit about him. Ya know, his likes, dislikes, favorite foods, his friends, his phobias, his dreams, the types of girl he likes. Ya know… those kinda things."

"Anything else you might need to know? His blood type? Height? Weight? School Grades? I know, how about his entire family history?"

"Sure."

Haruka chuckled at Kitsune's taking her sarcasm as an offer, "And just why would you need to know any of this?

"He… interests me." Kitsune replied candidly.

After eying Kitsune long and hard for several moments gauging the seriousness of her request Haruka reached under the counter pulled out two glasses and a bottle of sake to pour them both a glass.

Having knocked hers back in one shot Haruka poured herself a second one noting Kitsune hadn't touched hers. "Go ahead, it's on the house."

That was all the enticement the younger girl needed to drink hers in much the same manner as Haruka did; of course she ended up spitting most of hers out as Haruka deliberately timed her next words to coincide with the fox's drink.

"If you plan to try to have a little no attachment sex with him, I approve."

"Wa…what…" Kitsune turned almost beat red at Haruka's frankness.

"You heard me. If you're thinking of trying to bed my nephew I approve. That is so long as it's not done to hurt him or yourself that is." Haruka poured her a third glass and Kitsune a second as she added "But I gotta tell you, your odds aren't very good."

Sucking back her second shot Kitsune eyed the Haruka in hopes of figuring out what her game was. Not seeing any obvious answer she decided to gamble on asking, "First off I'm not sayin' I'm tryin' ta dance the mattress jig with him but even so it hurts a girls ego ta have you tell me I ain't good enough ta get the job done."

"I didn't say weren't good enough. I said I said I wouldn't give you good odds on succeeding."

"'N why not?"

"Cause frankly, if what his mother and Granny have told me about the girls who've chased after him, even with as good looking of a girl as you ware, you're not even in their league and none of them have even come close to bagging the wild horse." Haruka then poured Kitsune another short, slammed back her third, capped the bottle, drew a red line on it with a pen and then placed it back beneath the bar. "Still, if you do mean to try, I wish you luck. Whoever gets that boy is going to be one lucky woman."

"And just what makes him so special?" Kitsune shot back highly upset that the older woman had implied she was anything less than a knockout. She'd actually began to think Ranma played for the other team as she felt there was no other way he could be resisting her charms; yet, if what Haruka was saying was true it made her very curious about the women who'd been chasing her target and how she actually faired against them.

"Let's just say some of the training he's been through has allowed my nephew a unique opportunity to know a woman's body nearly as well as his own and leave it at that." Haruka's face remained passive but Kitsune saw something in the older woman's eyes that clued into the fact that there was more to her statement than she was verbalizing. "As to wanting to know about my nephew… I haven't seen him in years myself Kitsune. So you see I'm getting to know him as well though I do have some background you don't and won't hear from me especially since Ranma has trust issues and I don't plan on getting on his bad side by talking about him without his consent."

"Although…" Haruka drawled out "I think it would be ok for me to tell you that one of the ways to that's boys heart is, as they say about most men, through his stomach. Make of that what you will."

Before Kitsune could plead her case or try to find a different angle to her request for information Haruka walked over and flipped the closed sign on her shop and walked out tossing a "Lock up when you're done that drink will ya Kitsune?" over her shoulder.

Savoring her drink instead of gulping it down Kitsune was left wondering about everything Haruka had said and more importantly of how she could make use of it. While her original plan had only called for scamming some free rent from the new manager the older woman's words had left her feeling confused, slighted, and extremely curious. One thing was certain; she had to rethink what her plans were and how she would implement them.

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**:Notes:**

Yes, I know Ranma took some lumps this chapter and it's filled with less humor than the previous one (still learning how to write proper humor) but I felt this was a nice build towards something and even with as good as Ranma gets he still gets hit by the other characters in his original tale; specifically Akane, Shampoo, Ukyo – all of which are in my opinion way below him in skill.

– Written June 20th, 2010

– Revised July 11th, 2011

– Modified August 30th, 2011

– Modified December 21st, 2011


	11. Junk In The Trunk

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**(Love Hina Arc)**

**Warning****: **It is assumed that you've read the disclaimer in the first chapter posted. If you continue to read past this point, understand that this story may contain content some find offensive.

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(That's Me!)

If while reading this tale you happen to find any incomplete or half-finished sentences, spelling errors, grammar in need of correction, or things that just don't make sense, I ask you to feel free to send me a **private message** so that I might correct them. After all, I am human, thus I make mistakes. I ask for your assistance to be less human. (Private Messages can be sent via my profile.)

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**Ch4p73r 3l3v3N**

– **Junk In The Trunk –**

**-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-**

Returning from his trip into town to pick up some supplies and get his prep-school schedule Ranma was surprised to find a set of three trunks lined up outside the front entrance to the inn.

"Wonder where these came from?" he queried aloud. Looking them over he noted that each had not only the Urashima crest engraved into the central latch but his name as well. "I guess they're mine."

With a shrug he piled picked the first of them up and hauled it into the inn calling out his return to anyone who might be home but with it being the middle of the day there came no reply as all of the girls were at school. Normally Kitsune would've been home and likely lounging out on the couch in the main room but she'd left earlier on a few equine related errands shortly after the girls had left.

Once he had all three in his room, each standing side by side, Ranma considered them. Each was quite sizable almost to the point that some might consider them pieces of furniture in their own right as each trunk stood four feet in height and were easily three feet in width and just a bit deeper in depth. Inside each were a myriad of drawers on one side and a space to hang clothes or store shoes on the other. In effect the three of them were the equivalent of a dresser or a small closet and with their being three Ranma now had little need for any other form of furniture save a table, his futon, and possibly a desk should he feel the need for one.

With a shrug Ranma plucked the envelope secured to the currently central of the three trunks and opened it:

Dear Son,

"Well, that solves where they came from, though I suppose the engravings shoulda done that."

I hope this letter finds you well and in pleasant spirits. I know the last time we spoke to each other our words we not the most pleasant but I ask you to never forget that I love you and wish only the best for you. To that end, and as a gesture of my well wishing, I have sent along a few of your things to you as you left the house with so little I imagine you need more than a few outfits to wear.

"Got that right." Ranma said with a nod. He'd found he only had about four days worth of clothing on him as spares and was getting rather tired of the little quips Naru and Kitsune had been making at his expense about his wardrobe. Kitsunes comments were more offers to help him go pick out some new ones, so long as he modeled them, were getting a tab bit old.

Now, along with your personal effects and clothing I have sent along a few things that I expect you to becoming familiar with as they will help you achieve the goal of becoming the man I know you are capable of becoming. Just remember son, a little knowledge goes a long way and proper studying and preparation are key to succeeding but not all things can be learned without a little practical application. Experience is a key to success.

Love, your mother – Nodoka Urashima.

Slipping the letter back into its envelope Ranma turned to the trunks. "Ok. Let's see what mom sent me." Opening the central trunk first, as it had an "open me first" sticker on the latch the Urashima heir blinked. Then blinked again.

Ranma's shout of "WHAT THE HELL?" sent birds flying from the trees around the inn and rattled the plates down in the kitchen.

The reason for his reaction was that the nearly packed contents of the trunk were all sexual in nature ranging from magazines and help books to sexual items of a clearly invasive nature.

"IS SHE TRYING TO GET ME KILLED?" Ranma growled out, one eyebrow twitching as he calculated how long he would last if Narusegawa or Motoko discovered its existence. Sure he could handle them if it came down to it but even with as good as he was he knew they would make his stay here a living hell if they ever caught him in possession of even one of the things his mother had packed into the trunk before him. A brief shiver of both fear and deeply repressed sexual interest went up his spine a moment later when he thought about how Kitsune would react to finding him with it. He knew she'd either blackmail him for the rest of his life or offer to help him in some 'practical application' of the items in the trunk.

He then shook his head and chuckled, "Damn fox would probably do both."

He was about to shut the trunk when he noticed another envelope taped to the top of the trunks inside hanging down. Across the front of it in bold red ink was "READ ME NOW" written on it in kanji.

With a barely repressed shudder Ranma opened it and began reading, his left eyebrow twitching as he did so.

Son, I expect you will become familiar with every item within this trunk as I have gone to a great deal of effort to put together the very best of aids for you. Now I understand your distaste for your female form son, but I want you to think of it as a way to gain an understanding of the gentler sex as no other man can. To that end I want you to know that I will not consider it unmanly of you if you use some of these to experiment with upon your own female body as a means to better pleasure your (**!FEMALE!**) companions in the future.

Ranma stared unbelieving at what his mother was suggesting. Ok, maybe not unbelieving as his mother, "She who extols all things manly" had underlined, highlighted, and surrounded the word female with several exclamations. If her intent wasn't clear on that the way the word had been underlined in a way that made it look like a katana which had sliced off the top of the letter i in the line beneath it.

I especially expect you to study the manuscript you will find in the central drawer my son. I will be quizzing you upon it when we next have the chance to talk. Do not fail me in this my son as I would consider it to be VERY unmanly of you to do so. I would hate to have to resort to further sanctions against you beyond banishing you from our home for you to overcome in order to prove your manliness.

Love, your mother – Nodoka Urashima.

Unable to resist his morbid sense of curiosity Ranma reached out and opened the drawer. His eyes instantly widened so much they took up nearly seventy percent of his face as he looked over the oddly glittering spidery script engraved upon the cover of the leather bound tome within. A large sweatdrop formed over his head at his instant recognition of Happosai's handwriting "Oh kami… please no…"

Despite wishing it wasn't so the book entitled "A Guide To A Woman's Body And Ki" simply wouldn't vanish. Ranma felt dirty just looking at it… he could even swear the thing was giving off lust chi!

Schooling his horror Ranma slammed the offending trunk closed with an audible :-:clack:-:, "What In The Name Of The Kami Is Mom Thinking!" He shivered in disgust and double checked to make sure all the latches were doubly secured on the 'Trunk from Hell'.

After a moment to calm himself the now pacing and frowning Ranma glared at the trunk as it if were his mother in proxy and he could burn a hole through her. "Ok. I know what she was thinking… but damn it this stuff could get me killed if not seriously maimed!"

Eying the other trunks Ranma shivered imagining what they might contain. It took him another thirty minutes just to get up the courage to open the next trunk but to his relief it, and the next one, contained only clothing and books – said manuscripts concerning either school work or martial arts and nothing remotely perverted. He was also glad to note that neither contained any female garments alleviating his fear his mother might have expectations of him to also be a woman-among-women or some such unacceptable non-sense.

His perusal of the other trunks complete Ranma stepped back and stared at the central trunk and began pacing again. "Ok, calm down Ranma. You've got 'til one of 'em gets home to get rid of this stuff and that's only…" he looked at the digital clock his grandmother had left behind and groaned "about an hour or so from now."

His eyes widened. "An hour? Crap! Where they heck am I going to get rid of this thing!" His pacing increased. "Think think think!"

Simply burning it came to mind; that is until he thought about how his mother would react if she found out. Her note had been very explicit about what she would do if failed at her 'simple' request and even though he was rather upset with her for kicking him out he did have a desire to reconcile with her at some point in the future. Plus, with the exception of Happosai's manuscript, there was a very very very deeply buried part of him was interested about some of the stuff in the trunk. Not that he would EVER admit it save perhaps under threat of eating only Akane's cooking for every meal for the rest of his life.

Continuing to pace Ranma considered the option of just locking tightly it with several chains then covering it in warning stickers and then pray the girls wouldn't get into but decided it was out of the question as he was sure they would want to know what was inside if even more. Plus, though none of them had yet to actually invade his rooms unless he was there, he had little illusion that Kitsune respected his privacy all that much. As to the male hating duo; given the idea there was something that could endanger the residents of the inn Motoko would just use one of her Ki techniques to pop it open. Narusegawa? She'd just use the inherent brute strength of the tomboy to break them. No, just locking the 'trunk of horror', hoping they'd respect his privacy was out of the question.

'_Maybe I should bury it up at my private springs._' Ranma thought '_If it happened to get caught in the cross-fire during my training it wouldn't be like it was my fault, right?_'

His brief smile at the trunk being destroyed returned to a frown. "That still won't get me off the hook with mom she'd just think it unmanly of me to allow it to be destroyed." He then growled loudly. "Damn it! What the heck am I supposed to do! I can't keep it up here. I wish Haruka were…"

Then it hit him.

"THE TEA SHOP!"

He smiled again. "That's it! I can hide it there with aunt Haruka 'til I think of a better place!"

Grinning at the brilliance of his plan Ranma hefted the offending trunk across his back, stepped out of his room, leapt over the currently open railing window to the ground where he quickly made his way to the long flight of stairs leading down to his aunt's shop. He reached the bottom of it without difficulty and was just about to reach the promised haven that would save his hide when he heard Kitsune say, "Whatcha got there?"

"Um… a trunk." Was his brilliant reply.

"I can see that." Kitsune said he free hand, the one not helping to cradle a bag filled with sake, going to her chin. "Where did it come from?"

"Um…."

"Oh! Wait! That mustta been what those delivery guys were droppin' off this mornin' when I left."

She then leaned forward eying both Ranma and the trunk with greater interest.

"Who were they for?"

"Me?" Ranma said, his response sounding more like a question then an answer.

"For little ole you eh?"

Ranma nodded.

"If they're for you? Why ya headin' towards the tea shop?"

"Um… I wasn't. I was um… just getting my bearings."

Kitsune considered his words and then smiled devilishly, "So what's in it?"

Gulping at hearing her voice the question whose answer could get him killed, or in this case, blackmailed into becoming the fox's boy-toy Ranma grinned nervously as he lied, "Um… I don't know."

"It's yer trunk but ya'll got no idea what's inside?" Ranma shook his head side to side, then started to sweatdrop when Kitsune rubbed her hands together eagerly. "Well then. Lets open'er up!"

"NO! err… heheheh I should really get it up to my room first. Yeah. That's it. I mean if it's got clothes in it I wouldn't want them to spill all over ya know?"

"Hurm… Ya'll got a point there sugar." She then clapped her hands in a commanding fashion "Ok, up 'n at'em with that thing big boy! Let's get that sucker up to yer room 'n pop'er open!"

Heaving a silent sigh of relief at having avoided his fate for the moment, Ranma turned himself around and headed back up the stairs with it, switching to dragging it about half way in an effort to lengthen the time it would take him to get it up the inn in hopes Kitsune's so far limited patience would be worn-out and she would head up on her own. This would give him an opportunity to switch this trunk with one of the others before she came to see what was inside.

To his relief she reacted exactly as he predicted, he even went so far as to suggest that she take a few minutes to get them something to drink and maybe a snack – both suggestions she accepted with little convincing.

Once she was out of sight it was trunk on back and haul-ass; his body straining slightly under the extra effort he was putting on it as it wasn't in nearly good enough shape for him to be pulling these kind of high strength maneuvers just yet.

It was however ready for what he did once he made it to the room, and that was switching the contents of the 'trunk of horror' into one of the other trunks and vice-versa. Stepping outside his room and to the still open sliding doors to the outside Ranma dropped the now 'trunk of horror' to the ground below just in time to be standing there in a relaxed stance when Kitsune topped the stairs.

Thirty worry filled minutes later, Kitsune finally tired of looking through the clothing his mother had sent and with a final attempt to get him to into a compromising position Ranma watched her go to leave his room. His nervousness returned when she moved to shimmy herself up to sit on the railing over which he'd dropped the trunk.

"You know manager-san. One of these day's you're gonna have to let me take you out for a good drink."

"Sure."

"Really? That easy?" Kitsune asked voicing her shock at Ranma's quick acceptance.

"Sure. Um… how about tonight."

Grinning widely Kitsune leapt down off the railing and posed sexily, "If you make a dinner date I'll make it worth yer while."

Flinching at the word date Ranma smiled weakly, "Um… well not a date."

Kitsune frowned.

"It wouldn't be right. Us… um… going on a date. With me being your manager."

"Awwww but it could have been fun." Kitsune stretched her body out and backwards doing her best to showcase her figure yet again. A little smirk played on her lips as she watched what she thought was Ranma finally showing a reaction to her flirting when in fact he was very worried she would turn her head and see the 'trunk of horror' below.

"I know!" Ranma uttered hurriedly, closing the distance between them so as to keep her attention on him. "How about I take you out as a thank you for helping me put away my clothing!"

Beaming Kitsune slid her feet before him, an arm coming up to playfully run a finger across his chest. "Really?"

Awww you don't want to go on a date with lil' ole me?"

"You bet. On me!" Stepping back Ranma waved his hands in front of him. "So long as we're clear it's not a date that is. Ok?"

Watching him through hooded eyes for several seconds Kitsune smiled widely, nodded, turned on one foot, and began to walk away with an exaggerated swing in her hips. "Fine. Not a date. But I expect it ta be someplace nice so dress up sugar. Something from the right side of your closet oughtta do."

Once she'd stepping into the confines of her room Ranma slumped and then straightened instantly just in time to avoid Kitsune seeing his action as she stuck her head back out of her doorway. "Oh and Ranma-kun, "Kitsune said deliberately using a friendly honorific "Ya'll take care of tellin' Shinobu we won't be here for dinner ok?" Then, with a wink she added "Pick me up at six.", blew him a kiss, and then slid her door shut behind her.

Shaking his head the pig-tailed manager leaped over the railing cursing the trunk as he picked it up, grumbling aloud "Damn it you stupid trunk, you're already causin' me trouble and no one's even seen what's inside of you yet.". He started down the stairs, still grumbling, "Aoyama and Narusegawa are gonna try to kill me for sure when they find out I'm taking Kitsune out even if it ain't a date and there's just no way she's not going to say something to them."

"Your… your taking Konno-sempai on a date?" A quiet but clear voice asked.

Snapping his head up Ranma found himself looking at a blushing Shinobu who held her school bag up before of her, the handle just below her chin. Even if she hadn't of spoken the sudden additional weight on his back atop the trunk let him know she was not alone.

"What's a date? Is it good to eat?"

"Actually…" The word no died on his lips.

"Well, yeah, they can be," Ranma answered with a chuckle. "but that's not the kinda date that Maehara-san is talking about Su-chan."

"Oh. What'cha talkin' about Shinobu?"

Shinobu blushed brightly, shook her head, and started to race up the stairs tugging her friend along behind her. "I… I'll tell you when we get to the inn. I have to start dinner."

"YAY! DINNER!"

Suddenly Shinobu found herself being the one dragged into the inn.

"Can we have banana stew! I love banana stew!" Was the last he heard of the two as they vanished out of sight.

Heaving a sigh of relief Ranma turned back to the trunk… to find Naru and Motoko glaring at him.

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**:Notes:**

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THOSE WHO CELEBRATE IT! Happy holidays to all others! May the season find you and yours well.

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– Written December 25th, 2011


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